In today’s Gospel, the disciples of Jesus are not at all happy, because they saw a man- who was not a disciple – cast out evil spirits. They even tried to stop him from doing a good thing. Then Jesus tells them, No-one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me.” Perhaps we need to recognise that wherever true justice is being practised, there is God; wherever there is true freedom being promoted or defended, there is God; wherever there is a person from another race or culture, who acts as a true brother or sister to us, there is God.
We are called not only to be good persons for ourselves, but to reach out in love, to be just to others, to be truly a brother or sister. We are also called to proclaim in words and actions, that the source of all love, justice, freedom and solidarity with others, is a God who loves, who forgives and who wants us to share in his life- a life that is enriched on every level.