Homily for Wednesday of the 7th Week in Ordinary Time

The disciples held a polarized, black-and-white view of others. They believed that only those who were one of them could be trusted to do the Lord's work. In contrast, Jesus had a different understanding. He believed that even those who had not been formally called to be His disciples could be a part of God's life-giving mission, saying, "whoever is not against us is for us."

This serves as an essential lesson for our times. Many people may not explicitly support the Church or practice their faith in a way that aligns with traditional beliefs. Still, they are also not against the Church. The spirit of today's Gospel encourages us to build bridges with those who, in some way, share the Church's mission of bringing life to where there is death, restoring wholeness where there is brokenness, and providing relief where there is suffering. We can partner in this mission with those who may not be considered "one of us" in the strictest sense. In these times, we need the broader vision that Jesus demonstrated in today's Gospel rather than the narrow viewpoint of His disciples.