Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
GOSPEL EXPLANATION
The gospel for today may be divided into three parts:
• The exorcist. Jesus teaches tolerance.
• Reward. A good deed done to a disciple of Christ will be rewarded.
• Scandal.
He who scandalizes one of these little ones who believe, it would be better if a the millstone of an ass is tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea.
The phrase “he who scandalizes…” may be translated as “He who causes one of these little ones who believe to fall…” Others translates it as “he who casues one of these ones who believe to sin….”
In the gospel “to scandalize” does not mean to give a bad example or to do a disgusting deed. The Greek word means to put an obstacle, or to trip. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells Peter who has been reproving Jesus for talking about his passion and death: “Away from me, Satan. You are a scandal to me.” Jesus was not telling Peter: “You are giving me a bad example.” No. Instead, he was telling Peter: “You are an obstacle to me. You are preventing me from obeying the Father’s will.”
What are the possible sources of scandal? The gospel speaks of hand, foot and eye. But there are other sources as well.
Surprisingly Jesus may be a source of scandal. In what sense? When Jesus was brought to the Temple, Simeon uttered this prophecy: “He will be the cause of the fall and rise of many in Israel.” Jesus may be the cause of your fall (scandal also means to trip) if in the face of his teachings, we reject them or refuse to live by them.
Persecution may be a source of scandal or fall. Remember that not all of the companions of Lorenzo Ruiz died for the faith. Some of them denied Jesus to avoid torture and death.
The world may be a source of scandal or fall. Technology may be used by some to cheat other people. We just have to recall the Nigerian scam through email.
People are often the source of scandal or fall of others. A high school student was caught shoplifting at SM Mega Mall. He did it because he was prodded to do so by his classmates.
When Jesus spoke of the little ones who believe, he was not talking about children. He was speaking about adults with a simple faith or whose faith is still weak.
There are two kinds of millstone. The small one can grind wheat with the use of one hand. The bigger one grinds wheat with the use of an animal, like an ass. The millstone Jesus was speaking of is the big one.
What about Gehenna?
This Greek word, as all authorities admit, is derived from the name of the narrow, rocky Valley of Hinnom which lay just outside Jerusalem. It was the place where refuse was constantly burned up. Trash, filth, and the dead bodies of animals and despised criminals were thrown into the fires of gehenna, or the Valley of Hinnom. Ordinarily, everything thrown into this valley was destroyed by fire—completely burned up. Therefore, Christ used gehenna to picture the terrible fate of unrepentant sinners! (from Bible Tools)
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