JESUS´ AUTHORITY AND POWER
Jesus´ authority and power are one to heal the broken humanity and to cast out evil in all its forms of existence either as demonic possessions, satanic influences, powers, and principalities in the low and high places. As well as to restore integrity and dignity in decent living through his teaching and preaching.
Sadly, authority and power are the two most abusive words in our time and over the ages. Not only in socio-political cum cultural and economic arena but also in a religious setting. They are also in practical and concrete terms the exercise of power and authority in abusive ways by those who possess them.
The best definition of Authority in any form is the ability of one to possess empathetic influence over others that makes them carry out his or her will or interest willingly and gladly without coercion.
Power is the ability to force coerce or impose on others his or her bidding in an unwilling manner. If we go by the established definitions of power and authority.
Jesus’ actions and words of healing, preaching, and teaching were all based on authority. His casting out demons and evil spirits that menace humans was based on the power to subdue them.
However, it is also clear that many so-called leaders today whether in the religious or political or any other sphere of human life have no authority but only power. Hence, there are a lot of manipulations and abuses of their power to dominate, abuse, and control followers against their will and wishes.
OUR THEME
The readings of this 4th Sunday in ordinary time invite us to examine the concept of power and authority and how we use this God-given power and authority to influence, help, save, or serve others.
It also affirms that all power and authority are from God and they are given for a purpose. That is, to influence positively others, to serve with dignity, to extend goodness, healing, and restoration of health of the sick, and above all to expose and cast away the power of evil.
Our power and authority are inherent in the choices we make concerning our vocations and state of living. The Christian power and authority can be lived in matrimonial, consecrated life as well as in a single state.
Hence, the readings of this Sunday do not just invite us to a prophetic vocation to speak out or be God´s spokespersons in our environs, community, and church. They also challenge us to think, speak, and act with God´s authority and not as we wish or think.
FIRST READING DEUTERONOMY 18:15-20
First, through the people´s demand and request, the almighty God promises to raise true and honest prophets among them to communicate the truth without additions or subtractions out of personal interest or cowardice.
The people of Israel have a great fear of encountering God and his divine majesty directly. They requested through God´s servant Moses an intermediary between them and God. In God´s opinion, it is one of the correct requests of his people. So Moses predicts to them the coming of a future prophet greater than himself.
A prophet who will act and speak based on the divine power and authority given to him by God nothing more and nothing less. Since his actions and words will hold to account his listeners. As well as himself if he derives from the truth or acts or speaks falsely in God´s name.
Therefore, the prophet´s power and authority are divinely bestowed on him to act and speak in God´s name.
In Psalm 94, the psalmist invites us to hark to the voice of the Lord through prophetic authority and power in the daily ministration of God´s word and God´s name. He acclaims “If today, you hear his voice, harden not your hearts”.
SECOND READING 1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35
St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 relays God´s message without missing words on vocational commitments as singles, consecrated, or married persons. We are called to singleness of purpose without unnecessary distractions or anxieties.
On the theme of vocation: marriage, celibacy, or singleness of life. St. Paul promotes celibacy, to focus one’s undivided attention on the Lord over the martial state. This reference is not based on any form of discrimination against martial life. It has two unchallenged facts.
1. The single celibate state is a prefigured or anticipated eschatological life of the blessed in heaven. Where there will be no marriage or procreation because decadence, corruption, and death have no place.
2. It is a state of undivided commitment to God and service to humanity. Our best service and dedication can never be when we are divided into attention. This is one of the age-long answers to celibate life of the catholic priesthood and religious life. It is a state of freedom to serve humanity and dedication of one wholly and entirely to God.
Concretely, this is not only a catholic celibacy thing but something of any man or woman who wants to give their best to the realization of their vocation or profession at one point or the other. They usually sacrifice the divided attention of martial life. John the Baptist did it, Jesus Christ lived and even Paul himself did it.
In history, many men and women renounced marital life to ascertain the best of their services to humanity or a cause: warriors, athletics, scientists, and individuals.
In all, in Paul´s view like Jesus’ celibacy is a gift of God to those who can. As Jesus declares in Matthew 19: 12, “For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it”.
THE GOSPEL: MARK 1:21-28
At the beginning of Jesus´s public ministry, his power and authority made a lasting impression on people with his way of teaching, preaching, and healing. Something different from the Jewish religious authority of his time.
That is, Jesus in the Gospel of today lives out the true sense of God´s authority among the people leaving a deep impression of big difference and distinction from the established religious authority of his time who do not only abuse the people but act as semi-gods in their midst
WHY?
a. His teaching and preaching were based on the good news that inspires us to live on, and fight on while that of the Scribes, Pharisees, and others were threats and punishments- bound to kill morals and give in to fear.
b. It was to proclaim liberty to the captives, a set free spirit, body, and mental slavery while theirs were guilt-bound mentally and oppressive ritualistically to many dos and don’ts.
c. It was to heal and restore sanity and wholeness of spirit, soul, mind, and body while theirs was segregation, isolation, blameworthy, and torment to conscience and human weaknesses.
d. It was targeted at releasing or freeing people from the unnecessary yoke and heavy burden of life, from abuse and oppression while theirs were to enslave, overburden, or abuse rights and dignity in the name of God or religion.
e. It was a declaration of goodness, positivity, grace, favour, and dignity to his hearers or listeners while theirs were of condemnation, negativity, exploitations, and admonitions for the worse in life. It is a demonization of everything to keep control and relevance.
f. His power and authority were to identify, quieten, and expel evil, demons, and Satan not to empower or embolden them through diabolic consciousness as if they are more powerful than God.
g. His power and authority were not fame-seeking oriented but became famous after an empathetic authority and power in teaching, preaching, and healing over the human brokenness of life.
The ability of Jesus to make an empathetic impact on the lives of the people of his time through his power and authority made a paradigm shift as well as a dichotomy between him and the existing religious authority and power before him.
In like manner, the survival of Christianity, Christians, Christian authority, power, and influence in modern times is also based on how different Christian leaders are exercising their power, authority, and influence before the world.
Any form of authority or power abuse will not only have a ripple effect like the French Revolution and the death of religion and God. It will also result in deep indifference among modern people and a lack of consequential influence on the world and vital issues affecting the human race.
OUR POWER AND AUTHORITY
Today, there is a profound growing rejection of institutionalized religion and the church due to long ages of abusive power and authority as well as emerging scandals. The only hope for Christians and Christianity is to learn Jesus’ approach to power and authority to serve, save, and help fix the broken humanity.
The ideal of religious impunity to abuses and exploitations of the people in the name of God or the “touched not my anointed” is far eroding. Equally, the idea that religious figures should be fearful and revered as classical clericalism is also fading away.
Yet, people look for sanity, integrity, dignity, decency, and respect in how religious figures use their power and authority to empathetically relate, connect, and feel for the world. This is Jesus´ ministerial approach that made a different and lasting impression on the people of his time.
POWER AND AUTHORITY IN THE NAME OF GOD
Truth is that, we need God’s authority in our daily lives is important. Equally, He who speaks for God´s authority among men and women is also very important.
We live in an era when and where many who act and speak in God´s name and authority do so for their selfish aims and interests. Let us beseech the God of Moises, Paul, and Jesus Christ to raise among us and for us true prophets who think, speak, and act in your true name.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, during your public ministry you went everywhere doing good things: preaching God´s word, teaching goodness and grace, healing the sick, and casting out evil. Help us to know and internalize that our religious impact depends highly on how we use our God-given power and authority to make a difference in our occupied corner of the world empathically as you did and continue to do through us. Amen!
2 Comments