Homily for Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

St. Mark often shows a clash of views between Jesus and His friends. Some of the disciples had a "them-and-us" view of other people. Only inner circle members could be trusted to do the Lord's work. 

Jesus, in His wisdom, embraced a more inclusive perspective. He recognized that even those not formally joining his circle could be conduits of God's life-giving work. His generous statement, "whoever is not against us is for us," serves as a beacon of hope for us in these challenging times, inviting all, regardless of their faith background, to contribute to the greater good.

Many of our friends and neighbors do not share our faith explicitly, or at least do not practice it as we do, yet they are not against the Gospel either. We should strive to build bridges with anyone who shows a desire to improve the lives of others and provide assistance where it is needed. We can collaborate in our mission with those who are not even professing Christians. In these times, we need to embrace Jesus's outlook rather than the narrower vision of His disciples.