Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

INTRO:

Matthew Kelly tells a story about a HAPPY business man named Paul who was in NEW YORK CITY pitching his marketing ideas MOST SUCCESSFULLY to this huge company. It ended up being the BEST MEETING HE HAD EVER HAD and every one of his team members was equally excited.

As they left the Brooklyn, New York office building they spotted on the street a vacant cab. They were thrilled because a VACANT CAB isn’t easy to find and they needed to get to the airport.

They bolted across the street, but inadvertently knocked over a produce stand! They were somewhat oblivious to what they had done because they were in such a hurry until they realized that PAUL wasn’t with them at the taxi. He had stopped and turned around to go back to where all the produce was spilled over onto the sidewalk.

They called out, “PAUL YOU’LL MISS YOUR FLIGHT!”

Paul said, “Go on ahead without me”, and they did!

Paul made his way back across the street toward the sidewalk that was covered with produce. It was at that moment he realized the woman who had been behind the produce stand was BLIND! She was crying softly with tears running down her face.

It’s OK, It’s OK, I’ll help you. There were a hundred people passing in either direction and no one stopped to help.

When all the fruit was back up on the stand, he organized it and he set aside any damaged fruit.

He then turned to the woman and asked, “Are you alright?” She nodded. He then gave her some money for the damaged fruit and then turned and began walking away.

She called out and said, “Mister, Are you Jesus?”

He immediately said, “Oh no”!!!!!

She said, “I only asked because when I heard the fruit falling I prayed and asked for Jesus to help me!”

Paul got a bit jolted by that response and teared up himself. He walked around a bit dazed looking for a taxi…By the time he had gotten to the airport, he certainly missed all flights home and so he spent the night in a hotel.
He couldn’t get one question out of his head:

When was the last time someone confused you for JESUS?

I kept emphasizing last week about the CHILD PLACED IN JESUS’ MIDST…….that it really wasn’t a child at all, but what would be placed in OUR MIDST was:
A way of life to embrace… INCLUSIVITY
How mature are we to be inclusive in our life!
Welcoming all into our lives no matter who they are
Friend, foe
White, black
Gay, straight
Muslim, American

AT WHICH JESUS WAS SO GOOD.

Jesus is presenting to his church that we are supposed to be people of service to others, not worrying about who is the greatest among ourselves….we are to put our emphasis NOT ON OURSELVES, but others around us!

The Gospel today shows the disciples as befuddled with this WAY OF LIFE THAT JESUS PRESENTS TO US.
“We saw someone doing a good and they were not in OUR COMPANY and we tried to stop them.”

They don’t get it that EVERYONE should be doing some “good”!!
You get it……

Jesus was starting a church and yes he started with the twelve, but it was always meant for EVERYONE to be united, not just a select group of twelve.

We are all supposed to use our
EYES
HANDS and
FEET
To give service to our brothers and sisters.

CONCLUSION

So no matter what COMPANY WE ARE IN…
We are OTHER CHRIST’S in our world.

We are CHRISTIANS, doing good for others!