Word to the Wise
Saturday, June 2, 2018 - Saturday in the 8th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jude 17, 20b-25 and Mark 11:27-33]"By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?" [Mark]
When someone does something in public that startles or outrages us, we quite naturally ask, "Who do they think they are? Who gave them the authority to do this or that?" Pastors sometimes have to answer that question when a parishioner doesn't like a particular policy or action! In today's gospel scripture, it is important to remember the setting. Jesus is in Jerusalem, just a few days from his passion, death and resurrection. He goes into the temple and creates a chaotic scene, We are told [Mark 11:15-16] that he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the chairs of the dove sellers. Imagine money rolling around on the floor and bird feathers and cages falling all over. Quite a mess! And, mind you, this is all happening just when droves of people are coming up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. So, it is not surprising that a committee from "the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him." They are being careful because a lot of people were paying attention!
Jesus gives them a counter-question that goes to the center of the issue. The chief priests, etc. did not believe in John the Baptist or in Jesus. It is a matter of faith. If they believed in either Jesus or John the Baptist, they would understand why Jesus did what he did. They were like the barren fig tree that Jesus curses in this same chapter - lots of leaves but no fruit. They and the whole temple "system" had become corrupt. From the very beginning of his ministry [cf. Mark 2:1-3:6] they perceived Jesus as a threat. If these authorities had faith in Jesus as the one whom God has sent or in John as a great prophet, there would be no problem. This is why Jesus does not answer their question. There is no faith on their part that would enable them to make sense of his actions.
The entire basis of our Catholic church rests on faith. The authority that any of us exercises, from Pope to pewperson, originates in baptism and in the way the Spirit has enabled the church to organize itself over the centuries - Pope, sacraments, etc.. Our faith in Jesus is what gives anyone their particular authority in our midst. This doesn't make it any easier for pastors or ushers to do their job, but at least they know where their authority comes from. AMEN
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