In the name of Jesus

Scripture: Mark 9:38-41

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.

Reaction: I received two messages from today’s reflection. First, that I should continue to perform deeds which I believe are good and pleasing to God even if I don’t feel I have been ‘commissioned’ to do them. I am speaking of small acts of charity through various volunteer groups, as well as my daily interactions with others. None of these can be considered ‘mighty’ deeds, but they are from my heart. If my motivation is to serve others and please God, then I am certainly not against the Lord, nor can I speak ill of Him or represent Him in an evil way. The other message is that even though I have resolved to offer everything I do for the glory of God, I rarely present my offerings in the name of Jesus. In my conversations with other Christians and in my dealings with the needy through St. Vincent de Paul, I often wish others well or tell them that I will pray for them, but I do not advocate for their needs ‘in the name of Jesus’. This is one small thing I can do to reinforce my trust in the Lord, get over my reticence when it comes to vocalizing my faith, and to become more like an apostle of Christ.