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.” 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. For whoever is not against us is for us. 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.
“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. 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. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 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, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”
Gospel Trivia:
The gospel account begins with a lesson on tolerance and broadmindedness. It is interesting that this question is brought up by John, one of Jesus closest friend; suggesting that it took time for Jesus' teachings to be internalized by his disciples.
Regarding "cutting off one's limbs and eye", this is NOT meant to be taken literally. It is a metaphor to suggest the radical demands and costly sacrifice of Jesus' teachings.
Gehanna is an actual place; it is the valley southwest of Jerusalem where infants were offered in sacrifice to Moloch, a pagan god. Josiah later desecrated the site by turning it into a dump site where garbage was burned. "Gehenna" was later used as a symbol for eternal punishment.
Today's gospel is both about Jesus' radical teachings and broadmindedness. His teachings were radical because it veered away from the onerous demands of the various laws and commandments at that time. Instead, he went back to the fundamental demands of love and forgiveness. Unconditional love loves and accepts all.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), p. 74-75.
“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. 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. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 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, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”
Gospel Trivia:
The gospel account begins with a lesson on tolerance and broadmindedness. It is interesting that this question is brought up by John, one of Jesus closest friend; suggesting that it took time for Jesus' teachings to be internalized by his disciples.
Regarding "cutting off one's limbs and eye", this is NOT meant to be taken literally. It is a metaphor to suggest the radical demands and costly sacrifice of Jesus' teachings.
Gehanna is an actual place; it is the valley southwest of Jerusalem where infants were offered in sacrifice to Moloch, a pagan god. Josiah later desecrated the site by turning it into a dump site where garbage was burned. "Gehenna" was later used as a symbol for eternal punishment.
Today's gospel is both about Jesus' radical teachings and broadmindedness. His teachings were radical because it veered away from the onerous demands of the various laws and commandments at that time. Instead, he went back to the fundamental demands of love and forgiveness. Unconditional love loves and accepts all.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), p. 74-75.
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