Daily Reflections ...

Today’s gospel invites us to reflect on how to strike the right balance between openness and discernment, upholding truth and expressing love, preserving Tradition, and embracing the new workings of the Spirit in our midst.  It is a passage about universality in the Spirit of the Lord.

The passage highlights Jesus’ openness and willingness to recognise good works done in his name, even by those outside his immediate circle of followers.  This challenges us to avoid an overly narrow or exclusive mindset when it comes to living out our faith and the way in which we collaborate with others.  The Holy Spirit bestows a diversity of gifts, and we should celebrate and welcome the contributions of all who seek to do good and glorify God’s name.

At the same time, Jesus’ words ‘whoever is not against us is for us’ should not be taken to mean that all beliefs or actions are equally valid as long as they are well-intentioned.  Throughout the gospels, Jesus clearly teaches right from wrong and calls his disciples to a high standard of holiness and obedience to God’s will.  So, while being open to others, we must still exercise discernment grounded in Scripture, Tradition and the guidance of the Spirit.

To be able to do this we need the humility to acknowledge we don’t have all the answers and that our Tradition is not the only pathway to holiness.  The Christian life is meant to be deeply communal, with believers supporting and complementing one another in building the Kingdom of God.  This passage reminds us to be mutually encouraging rather than competitive as we strive together to live and spread the Good News that Jesus reveals to humanity.

By Janeen Lamb