Don't Be Shrinkng The Circle

For John, BLUF:  Be careful about excluding someone God wouldn't exclude.

In the Roman Catholic Mass Readings for today (Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time) are two that, among other things, say we should not be too quick to dismiss those who are not following our specific formula.  In the First Reading, The Book of Numbers (11:25-29), Moses draws up a list of 72 who will receive a portion of the Spirit God has bestowed on Moses.  There is a meeting outside the camp and 70 make it and receive the Spirit.  As with any big operation, two don't get the word.  Even so, Eldad and Medad, back in the camp, get their share of the spirit. 

Joshua, son of Nun,♠ who from his youth had been Moses' aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

Moss isn't so much concerned about the process as he is the outcome.  Let's not be excluding those touched by God in some other way.

The same approach shows up in Mark's Gospel (9:38-43, 45, 47-48)

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."

The same principle.

Then there was the Second Reading, from The Epistle of James (5:1-6), which appeared to be a paid Democratic Party advertisement, attacking Republicans, excoriating the 1%, people like Elizabeth Warren and her husband.  It starts out:

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.

But, it doesn't give us an arbitrary percentage.  Maybe the other readings inform this one.  Maybe the problem goes to those who got rich by cheating the workers.

Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

To be a good Republican you have to understand Catholic social teachings, or it's corollary elsewhere.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Bad Bible joke.  Who in the Bible, outside the Garden of Eden, had no father?  Joshua, son of Nun.