United for the Gospel
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready..."For whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:40)
"For whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:40)
To put the following in context, please read the passages before and after this.
(Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48).
Jesus knew that the men who performed miracles in his name, which means by his method, would hardly speak against him. These miracle workers knew that if they did speak against Jesus, it would weaken their position. Jesus' disciples, who reported this event to him, wanted these men to stop healing because they were not a part of their group. The disciples were unaware of how Jesus thought about this, for they were fishermen, and did not understand certain matters. All those who were performing miracles in the name of Jesus were helping to spread his gospel and his fame.
From this, we learn that we should welcome and encourage those who do what we do and say what we say. We should not concern ourselves with whether those who do these things give us credit or not, for as Jesus said: "Whoever is not against us is for us." This entire passage challenges us to examine our faith, relationships, and commitment to following Jesus. It reminds us that true discipleship requires a deep faith, a commitment to unity, and a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel.
Am I willing to act on my faith and trust in God, living a life that reflects the values of the kingdom of God?
Lord Jesus, miracle worker, allow me to work miracles in other's lives, by being a witness to your gospel through my words and my actions. Amen.
Deacon Mike Ryba was called to further share the love and mercy of Jesus Christ when he entered Diaconate Formation for the Diocese of Joliet, IL in 2011. In 2016 he was ordained a Permanent Deacon. Up through 2022, he worked in IT for 40 years in a variety of industries, the last 30 years in management. He has since taken on a pastoral position as Director of Parish Life at St. Timothy's in Lutz. He was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and that is where he met his wife, Lisa. They have been married for 35 years and have 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 2 grandpups. They relocated, for the second time, to the Tampa area in 2018. He is an avid sports fan and although he still follows his Chicago teams, he now cheers on the teams of “ChampaBay;” especially the Lightning as that is his favorite sport to play and to watch. Go Bolts!
