Moses spoke to all the people, saying: “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen. This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘This was well said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Brothers and sisters:
I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Then they came to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
Reflection
By Grace B. Madriñan
When we say “authority”, what comes first into your mind?
Someone who has power? Someone to be feared? In today’s Gospel, Jesus
demonstrated a different kind of authority, something that they did not see in
the Pharisees. When Jesus speaks, He drives out demons, He heals the incurable
and His words are sharp enough it can expel the egoistic one.
On Pope Francis’ homily during his first Mass in Manila
Cathedral, he spoke with so much authority and integrity, it moved me to tears.
And to think I was just watching the television. His mere aura as he passes by
the streets on his pope mobile was enough to move people to tears. That’s the
kind of authority that Jesus wants us to have --the kind that moves people to
be blessed and be changed forever; not the kind that brings fear and anxiety.
I believe this kind of authority can only be achieved if we
demonstrate compassion and integrity. If we teach someone about simplicity and
yet we are living a lavish lifestyle, I doubt if they would even listen to what
we say. If we force someone to follow our orders, it would not be fulfilling if
we know they only heeded out of fear. It would be good if people are drawn to
us and are moved to action because they respect us and trust our good judgment.
Prayer
Father, make us a good example of authority. Further enhance our
faith so that we may be able to draw more people closer to You, and not away
from You, through our imitation of Your life. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell us what you feel...