In Today’s Reading, Luke, 9:46-50, the last half of the Gospel has the most beloved of the Disciples asking what to do with those who use the Name of Jesus to drive corrupting viruses from human programs.
“An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by His side and said to them,
‘Whoever receives this child in My Name receives Me,
and whoever receives Me receives The One who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest.’
Then John said in reply,
‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company.’
Jesus said to him,
‘Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.'”
He, Himself, has told us what to do when we see those who are not Catholics trying to help people recognize the Power of Christ. Many non-Catholic Christians are essentially unaware that Christ and the Disciples were the early Catholic Church. Many have been so filled with false knowledge about the beginnings of Catholicism that they are simply unaware of The Church’s primacy.
Distractions from, and distortions of, such historical truths as about Christ having said “Thou are Peter and on this rock, I build My Church” are common. Those who have absorbed them, without having heard and seriously considered the truth, are not to be blamed.
Protestants do recognize the power of Jesus and His Name. As long as they are not anti-Catholic, they help, rather than hurt, Christianity. When earthly desires, as to maintain cash flows or non-celibacy, causes people to attack The Church, often by “missionary” activity in Catholic countries, then harm to The Body of Christ is being done. We must work to understand the truth in Christ’s concluding sentence, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
One way to look at that passage is to conclude that well-intentioned Protestants are likely to become Catholic. We do not want to discourage them in that pilgrimage.
