26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year P

Theme: Collaboration and Cooperation

Context: Complaints against God in the wilderness.
Participants in Complaints:
- Israelites: Hungry for meat, not vegetarians.
- Moses: Feels burdened by leading an uncooperative group, questions God’s presence.
Moses’s Plea: Asks for relief or death due to his burdens.
God's Response: Distributes some of Moses's spirit among 70 elders, ensuring shared leadership.
Eldad and Medad: Two elders prophesy at the camp, despite not being at the tent.
Moses's Humility: Sees God as ultimate authority, encourages decentralization of prophetic calling.
Key Reflection: Recognizing the need for help is difficult; often related to pride and fear of inadequacy.

Condemnation of the Rich: Echoes Old Testament prophets.
- Warning about the fate of those abusing riches.
Riches as Temporary:
- Wealth can degrade or rust, becoming evidence against the rich.
- Call for the rich to weep and wail over impending miseries.
Wealth's Dangers: Wealth should serve God, not become a trap.
Injustice Against Workers: Fraudulent withholding of wages reaches Yahweh's ears.
Final Judgment: Life is not the end; earthly luxury doesn’t exempt one from consequences.

Structure: Sandwich construction; read alongside previous passage about disciples arguing over greatness.
Theme of Greatness: Jesus emphasizes welcoming the vulnerable, like children.
Warning Against Scandalizing Believers:
- Serious consequences for those who lead others astray.
- Importance of addressing personal sin's effects on others.
Discontent Among Disciples:
- Disciples upset about someone outside their group performing exorcisms in Jesus's name.
- Jesus’s teaching: All who do good works are on the same team, regardless of affiliation.
- Emphasis on collaboration beyond traditional boundaries of the church.
Call to Action: Identify and remove what hinders our spiritual growth (anger, unforgiveness, jealousy).

Personal Reflection: Strive for true greatness as desired by Jesus through humility and cooperation.
Prayer: For blessings and guidance in achieving true greatness.