16
The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana September 26, 1, ¢
:t
The outsider-exorost'". Scandal in the churcll 1
statement indeed in view of the forgiving Jesus M
portrays otherwise, for example his patience with :
Simon Peter who denied him publicly, but whom
Gospel Commentary for Sep-
tember 28, 1997: Twenty-Sixth Sunday: Ordinary Time:
Cycle B: Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
Mark continues his list of corrective instruction
by Jesus for his disciples. Last Sunday's gospel ended
with Jesus' correction of their ambition to lord it over
each other. The corrections are intended by Mark not
for the disciples of Jesus' time, but more probably for
the leadership of the Church of his own time. In turn
they can be applied to the Church up to our time.
There are two parts to today's gospel reading. The
first deals with relationships outside the Christian
community. The second part speaks of relationships
within the Christian community.
In thedst part of this gospel John addresses
Jesus by the title, "Teacher," always an important
point for Mark because the Marcan Jesus continues
to teach the Christian community long after Jesus'
little group of disciples had vanished from the
scene. Mark may have wanted to include a correc-
tion for John just as he earlier had included a cor-
rection for Simon Peter. Tradition seems to have
associated Simon Peter and John as is obvious from
the Acts of Apostles and from Paul's letter to the
Galatians. John now reports to Jesus that an exorcist
who was not a disciple of Jesus was casting out a
demon in Jesus' name. Other Christian literature,
both biblical and non-biblical speaks of exorcism
contests between Christians and non-ChrLstians, for
example, Acts 19:13-20, where the non-Christian
exorcists were held up to ridicule by the author of
Acts. Such however was not the reaction Jesus
teaches the Church through Mark's story olF this
By FATHER outsider-exorcist. The disciples had forbidden the
DONALD DILGER exorcist to act in the name of Jesus, but Jesus
Columnist responds, "Do not forbid him, since anyone who
does a mighty work in my name cannot soon after- Jesus singles out to receive the peace of his resurre
wards speak evil of me. Those who are not against tion, Mark 16:7.
us are for us." Mark adds various drastic
This is one of the most ecumenical statements in dal by any member of the Church. He uses the i
the gospels. One wishes that the Church had metaphors of hand, foot, eye. If any of these
observed it throughout history. It would have saved one to sin, they are to be cut off or torn out and
us the embarrassment of a long history of Christian thrown away. Better to have only one hand, one
violence and atrocities against Jews and non-Catholic one eye, than to have be thrown into "Gehenna"
Christians. The Second Vatican Council rejected all all one's parts intact. There have been Christians
anti-Judaism just as recent popes have done. The Sec- took these statements literally and removed
ond Vatican Council also initiated the practice of members they blamed for temptation to sin.
referring to non-Catholic Christians as our "separated stafements attributed to Jesus seem rather to have'
brethren." Pope John Paul II has apologized to both meant removal from the Christian community for
Christians and Jews for atrocities committed against those who cause others to sin. Today we
them by members of the Mother Church and by offi- excommunication. Mark gives us no exam
cial Church policies beginning at the highest levels. Matthew 18:15-23 expands on this matter and
Mark closes this episode with the statement that even mends ultimate forgiveness. Paul g" [
a cup of water given in the name of the Messiah will shunning or excommunication in I Corinthians I
be rewarded. An important statement for Mark but there too the separation is done "so
because this includes all Jews. They act in the name may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."
of the Messiah whom they still await, while we Chris- Thus we seem to have conflicting theologies
tians act in the name of the one we claim to be the within a small section of Mark's gospel, t
Messiah, Jesus. toward outsiders, but no tolerance toward
t
Now Mark turns to scandal within the Christian Some might say this sets a pattern sometimes p
community. Terrible threats of punishment are hurled ticed by Church authorities in our own time.
at those who cause "the little ones who believe in me flicts within a gospel and between our four
to sin." Who are "the little ones"? New Testament are not uncommon. Both theology and church
usage of this term indicates that it was used for the ship capable of making authoritative decisions
members of the Church who were outside the power evolving. The authors of our New Testament
structure. It distinguishes Christians who were not in and letters show themselves as sometime
authority from Christian leaders who forget that they Christians' as much as Christians of today. Whet
are servants of the powerless rather than kings, lords, tolerance or intolerance is proclaimed I
masters. Mark urges such leaders to be removed by theme of the New Testament is forgiveness, f
the metaphor of having a millstone put around their I
neck and have them thrown into the sea. A strange Readings: Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6
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Golden Jubilarians
Jerome and Laverne (Durcholz) Sermersheim of Ireland will cel-
ebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary with a Mass of Thanks-
giving at 10-.30 a.m. Sept. 28 at St. Mary Church, Ireland. A din-
ner for invited guests will follow at the Jasper OutdoOr
Recreation Club. An Open House will be held from 2 to 5 p.m.
at the club. The couple was married Sept. 25,1947, at St. Joseph
Church, Jasper. They are the parents of seven sons, Re 8 of Miami,
Fla., Daryi of Boise, Idaho, Gary, Duane, Jeff, Mark and Nick, all
of Ireland; four daughters, Connie Helming of Jasper, Bonnie
Keusch of Ireland, Carla Mathies of Huntingburg, and Lori Arvin
of Washingt n. Th .'y have 28 grandchildren, and two great-
grandchildren. Mr. Sermersheim is a retired farmer; he works
part-time at Jasper Engines. Mrs. Sermersheim works part-time
at Sten's in Jasper.
Golden Jubilarians
Leroy and Mary (Fromme) Fuhs will celebrate their fiftieth wed-
ding anniversary with a Mass of Thanksgiving at 10 a.m. SepL 28
at Holy Family Church, Jasper. A dinner for invited guests will
follow at the Knights of Columbus Home in Jasper. The couple
requests no gifts. They were married Sept. 30, 1947, at St. Peter
Celestine Church, Celestine. Father A.C. Schnellenberger offi-
cared, They are the parents of five children: Julie Burress of
Jasper, Dave Fuhs of Naperville, Ill., Jerry Fuhs of Santa Claus,
Bob Fuhs of Indianapolis, and Kevin Fuhs of Chrisney. They
have six grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and two step
great-grandchildren. Two children and one grandchild are
deceased. Mr. Fuhs is retired from the National Guard Armory;
Mrs. Fuhs is retired from G.T.E..
