Word to the Wise
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 - Tuesday in the First Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Samuel 1: 9-20 and Mark 1:21-28]Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astounded at his teaching........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." [Gospel of Mark]
The two quotations are like "book ends" for today's gospel scripture. They come before and after a report of Jesus casting out an "unclean spirit." Our taste for the spectacular might draw our attention only to the exorcism, but that is not the point of the gospel writer! It is Jesus' teaching power that is important. The exorcism is simply a demonstration that Jesus' WORD has healing power whenever and wherever it is taught and heard! Over and over again Jesus will emphasize the importance of hearing his word and acting on it. Doing this makes us literally his brothers and sisters! We may get some idea of our own position on this by picking up the New Testament and reading a passage. Does it seem strange and quaint? Familiar and comforting? Challenging and upsetting? Does it matter at all? To the person of faith, the very presence of the Bible in the house is a challenge! St. Augustine's famous story of his own conversion speaks of his response to a voice in his mind that urged him toward the scripture with the words: "Pick it up and read it!" Can Jesus' word be powerful to us if we habitually (for whatever reason) avoid reading and hearing it? AMEN