We love and may often identify with St. John the Apostle; the young one, the one whom Jesus loved.  But in today’s Gospel he messes up.  Upon seeing someone drive out demons in Jesus’ name, he made two mistakes.  First and most obviously, he thinks too small.  Like Joshua in our First Reading, St. John failed to realize that the Spirit can reach beyond human boundaries of insiders and outsiders.    The tolerance of Moses and Jesus toward those literally and figuratively outside their presumed inner circles confounds those who perceive themselves to be on the inside. 
           
More troubling perhaps, was St. John’s attempt to stop the exorcist because he does not follow us.  If he mistakenly felt impelled to say anything at all, it would have been better at least to have said, follow Jesus; the real source of all power!   Jesus assured the Apostles that all good comes from the same Source, and went on to explain in vivid language that their attitudes of exclusion and jockeying for position are scandalizing and corrosive to bringing forth the Kingdom of God.  When Jesus says, If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off, He means that we need to rid ourselves of all our destructive tendencies, including our unbridled egos, exaggerated neediness, and our criticisms and judgments.
           
It is likely that many of us, clergy, religious, and lay people alike, can relate to both the zeal and confusion of Joshua and John.  In fact, in our humanness, the more committed we are to God and the Church and living out our faith, the more susceptible we may be to being confounded.  In disordered loyalty, we can behave more like henchmen than true disciples. Rather than congratulating ourselves that we are better than others, Jesus hopes we strive to be better for others.   
           
The little ones and outsiders in our Sunday Gospels and in our very own community are meant to be heard and included.  Disciples truly close to the Lord do not cling to an idea of exclusive favor or mission, but desire and work for God’s favor to envelop all.  St. James predicts in his Letter that if we cling to our riches they will grow moth-eaten and rot away.  If we fail to give our whole selves to a bigger idea of God, self and neighbor, the unholy treasures we have stored up may be our destruction. 
           
May we love large, trust that all good comes from the same Source, and remember that the Spirit, Who goes forth everywhere and to everyone, is received by every welcoming heart.  Continue to love and identify with St. John.  The one whom Jesus loved matured in faith.  So can we!