Word to the Wise
Sunday, February 1, 2015 - 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Deut 18:15-20; 1 Cor 7:32-35; 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 teeaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. [Mark]
I am sure that many of us can remember our parents or another "authority figure" saying to us in an irritated tone, "Because I said so!" That would seem arbitrary to us at the time, but later on we might find it necessary to "stand on our own authority" as parents or teachers, etc.. When I was a law student, I was expected to find "case authority" for any statement and to be sure that case authority had not be overruled somewhere! The scribes were people who knew how to read and write and they were also educated in the Mosaic Law which governed all aspects of life for Jews in Jesus' time They knew all the authorities and would cite them as the basis for their rulings. Jesus was different. He would speak on his own authority! We can find examples of that in the Sermon on the Mount: "You have heard it said......but I say to you!"
Our American culture has a built-in bias about authority. Our cultural notion of freedom is based on the idea that the individual should be able to make decisions on their own and be their own "authority." This individualism makes it difficult to accept decisions that conflict with choices we would prefer to make. This impacts both our secular and religious choices. So, if the Pope or the President or our parents or teachers tell us we must do something, we resist! The difference, for me, lies in the ultimate nature of what Jesus' says. If I accept him as the ultimate authority, then my own choices must be made in the light of his teaching. He and those to whom he gave responsibility to teach in his name are the authority. If I choose to be "free" of that authority, I think I would be ultimately alone in the universe and anything goes!
All that is good in life comes from the one who has that ultimate authority that can cast out demons, heal wounds, and give a word of comfort and life. No wonder the people were astounded, but even then they had trouble accepting the person who showed that authority! What is OUR reaction? Is Jesus the ultimate authority for us? AMEN