STUMBLING BLOCKS

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26^TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Nm 11: 25-29/ Ps 19/ Jas 5:1-6/ Mk 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48

There will always be stumbling blocks as we journey through life. For example, ABS – CBN’s Showtime has to accept the truth that AlDub’s Kalye Serye has been its stumbling block for some time now in getting the top stop of noon time shows. Well, on the other hand, GMA’s evening teleserye has also to accept the truth that JaDine’s On the Wings of Love is overwhelmingly hitting the top spot of the primetime shows, a stumbling block! Indeed, life is not just a simple walk around the park. It has to face and conquer some hurdles, some stumbling blocks.

Our Gospel reading today happened during the journey of Jesus and his disciples to Jerusalem. Since the other Sunday, Jesus has been preparing his chosen friends on the events that will soon happen through his passion predictions. At the same time, he is also teaching them on genuine discipleship. If last week, the disciples were arguing on who was the greatest among themselves, this time, they were discussing on who can use the name of Jesus. They reported to Jesus of an exorcist driving out demons using his name. However, Jesus wanted them to focus on their own selves. When he told his disciples to cut off their hands and feet and pluck out their eyes, Jesus was simply highlighting his point – one must “cut off” those things and events which can become stumbling blocks in discipleship. 

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.”

We need to cut off our hands which have become greedy for wealth and power because a genuine disciple only holds on to God’s providential hands. We need to cut off those dark events in the past which we have walked through and have made us unforgiving today because a genuine disciple relies on God’s mercy and compassion. We need to pluck out our eyes which have become used to seeing things from the point of view of the world today because a genuine disciple sees the world of today with the eyes of God.

“Cutting off” those things and events which are stumbling blocks in our being Disciples of Christ means to sacrifice. This is therefore an important feature of discipleship – the readiness to sacrifice. Sacrifice comes from two Latin words, “sacra”- holy and “facere” – act, make. To make a sacrifice means to make a holy act. To cut ourselves from stumbling blocks is a holy act because it makes us see more the Holy of holies. Without sacrifice, then, it is not discipleship but mere spectatorship. Without sacrifice, then, it is not discipleship but mere idolatry.

My dear friends, this is our challenge as we celebrate the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – that we make daily small acts of sacrifice by cutting off, by detaching ourselves from those which block and make us stumble in our Christian discipleship.

For Showtime, AlDub’s Kalyeserye is a stumbling block.

For GMA’s Teleserye, On the Wings of Love is a stumbling block.

How about you? In following Christ, what are your stumbling blocks?

Amen!

Photo taken from internetcafedevotions.com