Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him

 25  Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.  26  Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.   27  And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”  28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” 29  But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (RSVCE) The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

 25  Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

 26  Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 

 27  And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

 28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.”

29  But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (RSVCE)

The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

There are a number of lessons in this reading. First, God wants us to share the load of ministry in an effort to increase, rather than to limit the ministry. Priests must be willing to give responsibility to Deacons and parishioners. Deacons and parishioners must be willing to accept responsibility when given to them by the priest. Ministering to the church community is a shared responsibility so long as our community leaders are focused on honoring God with their efforts and not seeking to honor themselves. Moses fell into the hole of taking credit for bringing water from a rock but it was actually done through the power of God not Moses’ power. (Nbr. 20:7–12). We may want to take credit for bringing the Vacation Bible School to our parish if it is successful but the only reason we brought the

There are a number of lessons in this reading.

First, God wants us to share the load of ministry in an effort to increase, rather than to limit the ministry.

Priests must be willing to give responsibility to Deacons and parishioners.

Deacons and parishioners must be willing to accept responsibility when given to them by the priest.

Ministering to the church community is a shared responsibility so long as our

community leaders are focused on honoring God with their efforts and not seeking to honor themselves.

Moses fell into the hole of taking credit for bringing water from a rock but it was actually done through the power of God not Moses’ power. (Nbr. 20:7–12).

We may want to take credit for bringing the Vacation Bible School to our parish if it is successful but the only reason we brought the

program to the parish in the first place was because the Spirit moved us to do so. The program was successful because the Spirit moved people to volunteer to be teachers, administrators, helpers etc. The program’s success belongs to God not to the leader of the program. The leader of the program acted as the hands of God working in this world. We need to support our priests and leaders of ministries and never join in a rebellion against them. Every new pastor faces challenges from the community because half of the community wants to change things and half wants to retain the policies of the preceding pastor. People tent to chose up sides to attack or defend the new pastor but fail to realize it is about the honor of God not their own honor.

program to the parish in the first place was because the Spirit moved us to do so.

The program was successful because the Spirit moved people to volunteer to be teachers, administrators, helpers etc.

The program’s success belongs to God not to the leader of the program.

The leader of the program acted as the hands of God working in this world.

We need to support our priests and leaders of ministries and never join in a rebellion against them.

Every new pastor faces challenges from the community because half of the community wants to change things and half wants to retain the policies of the preceding pastor.

People tent to chose up sides to attack or defend the new pastor but fail to realize it is about the honor of God not their own honor.

This reading shows that Moses has now come to realize this truth. 29  But Moses said to the young man, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (RSVCE) Moses is essentially saying, okay, Eldad and Medad weren’t with the chosen members of the 70 elders BUT they were doing the work of the Lord and should be commended for their efforts. In the Gospel of Mark we hear Jesus response to John’s question,  38  John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.”  39  But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 

This reading shows that Moses has now come to realize this truth.

29  But Moses said to the young man, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (RSVCE)

Moses is essentially saying, okay, Eldad and Medad weren’t with the chosen members of the 70 elders BUT they were doing the work of the Lord and should

be commended for their efforts.

In the Gospel of Mark we hear Jesus response to John’s question,

 38  John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.”

 39  But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 

40  For he that is not against us is for us. (RSVCE) The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

40  For he that is not against us is for us. (RSVCE)

The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.

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