My mom, known as Tita Pilar to many, is not a saint. But her ways aresimilar to one. We used to tease her because of her penchant for helping the “needy, downtrodden, the sick, and the dying,” as the Lord commands.

A woman comes with a sob story, she gives money. A mother of three small kids cries on her shoulder, she gives milk, bread, and clothes for the kids. A beggar knocks and she hands out the last coins in her purse. A man has no job, and she asks me to call a friend so he can have work. Our house is open to anyone who is in need—and to tricksters, too.

When we tell Mom not to believe all who ask from her, she’d scold us and say, “You should help!” Mom didn’t only give material things, but would also give her time to lift someone’s spirit, listen and talk, and shell out advice, suggestions, and counsel.

To us, she is a saint. Saint Pilar, pray for us! Chelle Crisanto (ellehcmaria@gmail.com)

reflect

“God’s extravagant generosity toward us compels us to be extravagantly generous toward others.” (Andy Stanley)

Teach me, Lord, to open my heart to those who need my help. Help me not to be critical, to be more gracious, and to give even if it hurts. Amen.

Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs, pray for us.

First Reading | Numbers 11:25-29

God knows that the Church and our lives are messy. We do not believe the same things at exactly the same time. This is the wonder of the Church—She is able to hold in tension from many people who are at different stages in their faith journey. This is what unity in diversity is about.

²⁵ The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, the Lord bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. ²⁶ Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ So, when a young man quickly told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp,” ²⁸ Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said, “Moses, my lord, stop them.” ²⁹ But Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14

R: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

⁸ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) ¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) ¹² Though your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them, ¹³ yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults! (R) ¹⁴ From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant; let it not rule over me. Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin. (R)

Second Reading | James 5:1-6

James does not sugarcoat his message. He wants us to honestly face the realities of our situation. If we are rich, then we have been blessed by God materially and in other ways. The truth is, this is the beginning of reality. What we do with God’s blessings is critical. How do we use the blessings from God? Have we been generous or selfish with the blessings we received? These are the questions we will answer come Judgment Day.

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. ² Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, ³ your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. ⁴ Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. ⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. ⁶
You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance.

Gospel | Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Jealousy has no place in God’s Kingdom. Let us rejoice in the gifts God has given to others and support one another in our ministries. We are all called to build God’s Kingdom and it is better to work together than against each other. None of us has a monopoly of the gifts of the Holy Spirit; we need each other to access all the gifts.

Gospel Acclamation

Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.

³⁸ At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” ³⁹ Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. ⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, ⁴⁸ where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

Read the Bible in one year! Read EZEKIEL 25 - 28 today.

A millstone grinder would be equivalent to our microwave oven. Almost everyone had it then. No one could live a normal life without at least one in the smallest neighborhoods. If in the past, children would wake up to the sound of grandmother sweeping the yard, the people in biblical times would awaken to the low grating but rhythmic sound of a millstone grinder. It was the lifeline of the ordinary Jew at the time.

Good teacher that He was, Jesus used images and icons based on daily life and daily experience. What Jew would not know of the importance of the millstone grinder? Who on earth would ever think of using it as deadweight to tie a person with so he could no longer surface to life? He used hyperbole or a little literary device based on exaggeration. He used similes and metaphors, and the simpler were His words, the deeper was His intended meaning. He spoke not just of a small, hand-driven millstone (used only by women), but a donkey millstone—one that could not be run by using a hand-crank but pulled by a lowly beast of burden, the donkey.

The Lord was more than just a little exaggerated. He was actually straightforward about it. One who leads others to sin had better be drowned with a big stone tied to his neck to make sure he never resurfaces. The implication was that, in the face of an offense so wicked, one should be prepared to use anything within arm’s reach—yes, even the heavy, all-important and essential top stone of the primitive mill.

In our times, there is no need for many of us to be tied to a millstone. We are already adept at heaping trouble to ourselves. We put on the yoke of too many worldly concerns in order to reap power, position, privilege, and prestige. We work hard to receive honor. But honor is really onus—a yoke. Nah, a donkey’s millstone is not worth all the trouble. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection questions

Do you need to be tied to a millstone? In other words, do you lead others to sin?

Dearest God, forgive me for leading others to sin through my actions, through my appearance, through my words. Change me as You will. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________