Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This homily is based on one word – “authority.” Let me propose my reason for this focus. The last couple of weeks, the readings have focused on the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry. We also know that he called some people to follow him radically and closely as apostles and disciples. Last week, we became familiar with Jesus’ mission and belief statement. He said, “The time of fulfillment is here. The kingdom of God is at hand: Repent and believe in the gospel.” And today’s gospel introduces another important dimension of his ministry. Mark says, “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” (Mk 1:27).
The Greek word for authority is exousia. The word exousia has multiple meanings but the sense in which Mark uses it means the power to influence through righteousness. Jesus’ authority or influence is such that even evil spirits recognized him, acknowledged him, and obeyed him (Mk 1:23-24). Moreover, Jesus authority is contrasted with those of the scribes (Mk 1:22) who for some reason did not have either the influence or the integrity that Jesus had.
What is this authority and where does Jesus’ authority come from. I do not want to give into the simple answer that Jesus’ authority merely came from his identity as “Holy one of God” (Mk 1: 24). Rather, I am suggesting Jesus authority came from his righteousness. By Jesus’ righteousness I mean his OBEDIENCE to God and his COMPASSION for his fellow human beings. In numerous places in scripture, obedience is proposed as being better than sacrifice (I Sam 15:22). Obedience is so important that Paul tell us in Phil 2:8 that Jesus humbled himself becoming “obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” The author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that “…though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb 5:8). And then, in another controversy with the religious authorities, Jesus demanded MERCY from the people rather than sacrifice (Mt 12:7).
If obedience led Jesus to the cross, the question we should ask is, “What is it that is played out on the cross? The answer is simple genuine love for neighbor (COMPASSION / MERCY).Perfect OBEDIENCE to God and genuine compassion (MERCY) toward fellow human beings is another way of living the two most important commandments that Jesus gave to his disciples – “Love God with all your heart, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:40). I am suggesting that herein lies the authority of Jesus. This is the kind of authority that the scribes lacked.
Before his ascension, Jesus said to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:18-20). In these words, Jesus sends his disciples forth with the same authority that he was himself able to exercise.
I want to offer three practical implications from the above reflection.
1.In today’s first reading, God raised prophets from among the people of Israel. The reason for this is because the people believed that God is so awesome that if they either saw or heard God directly, they would not live. Thus God chose prophets who spoke with authority on behalf of God. Moses was one such prophet. (It is interesting to note that he did not cross over into the Promised Land because he was “disobedient” to God (Numbers 20 13). In the NT Jesus chooses his disciples and apostles to exercise His authority. The bottom line is this – Christ’s authority belongs to every Christian by virtue of their baptism. In other words, by my Baptism I have access to the same authority if only I can be radically obedient to God (love of God) and, exercise genuine compassion (mercy) for others. That truly is the key to the call Christ has given – being radically obedient to God and being genuinely compassionate for our neighbor.
2.The second practical implication comes from today’s second reading from Paul letter to the Corinthians. Over the past two weeks we have been hearing weird things from Paul. For example, last week we heard him say, “From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing…” (1Cor 7:29-30). This week he clearly emphasizes the celibate life “for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction” (1Cor 7:35). Paul proposes such a life style because his generation believed in the immediate second coming of Christ. In comparison to the coming of Christ they found every other pursuit futile. Today, we are not compelled to take Paul literally on his views of marriage. But that does not mean that Paul’s message is irrelevant. Paul is still calling us away from mediocrity to radical living of the gospel through obedience to God and compassion for our neighbor. Paul is calling us to the righteousness that Christ lived. The practical implication, then, is this: If I can combine the authority that Christ gives me with the single minded commitment of Paul, then my personal life, my family life, my parish life and my life in the world will be radically different.
3.But why does Christ give me his authority? The answer brings us back to today’s gospel. In today’s episode, Jesus used his authority to confront evil or the Evil One and bring healing and freedom to those oppressed by evil. Jesus gives us His authority to his disciples because evil continues to exist in the world. Greed, the culture of death, oppression, injustice, depression, illness and selfishness are real evils. Who is going to counter them? Through the authority that comes from a radical obedience to God and genuine compassion, like Jesus, we are called to overthrow darkness by light, death by life, sin by grace. Today, let us claim the authority that Christ is calling us to exercise by a personal commitment to all the Christ stood for.
Today, at this altar Jesus, in obedience to the Father and in genuine compassion for us will be here once again. Let us receive not just Jesus, but his authority. By our obedience and by our genuine compassion, may we bring life, love and healing to the world. Amen.
Fr. Satish Joseph