Word to the Wise
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - Tuesday in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Sam 1:9-20 and Mark 1:21-28]TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2016 TUESDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [1 Samuel 1:9-20 and Mark 1:21-28] The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. [Mark] I think many of my Beloved Congregation are aware that I am a law school graduate. One of the things that gets drummed into the heads of law students is the importance of "precedents." This is represented in the Latin expression, "STARE DECISIS," which means to stand on previous decisions. One did not argue from one's own authority. In Jesus' time, the scribes taught or made decisions and did so based on the authority of respected rabbis and teachers who were well-known. When Jesus began to teach, he did not cite other authorities, which the people immediately noticed. Furthermore, he backed up his authority in today's gospel scripture by showing that his word could cast out demons. We are more in the position of the scribes, except that our authority comes from Jesus and his Word. He is the one whom we quote, and his are the teachings we share. These have great power, but we have to be willing to proclaim them. That is our baptismal challenge. AMEN
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