Authority
1 Corinthians 2:10-16; PSALM 145; Luke 4:31-37
Today’s gospel passage presents us with the authority of Jesus Christ. He demonstrated his authority through his teachings, miracles, and ultimately, his sacrificial death and resurrection.
The authority of Jesus is Divine, Absolute, and Unchanging; Moral and Spiritual; Saving and Redeeming; Teaching and Healing; Shepherd and Leader; Universal and Eternal; Challenging the Status Quo, thereby bringing about change and transformation.
The authority of Jesus is unlike secular and militarial authorities. His authority is not coercive or forceful; rather, it is loving. With that same authority, he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. Authority is not the loudest voice but the wisest voice.
The first reading reminds us that the Holy Spirit is essential for understanding God’s authority, purpose, and mission, as it searches all things, making the Bible, homilies, not mere oratories but meaningful, impressive, and purposeful.
St. Gregory the Great, whose memorial we celebrate today, makes known the popular papal traditional title “servant of the servants of God.” He reformed and solidified the Roman liturgy, the disciplines of the Church, the military and economic security of Rome, and the Church’s influence in Western Europe.
Let Us Pray
Father, have mercy. Lord Jesus, we beg you for deliverance. From anxiety, sadness, and obsessions to rage, death, and every other form of occult, we beg you to free us. And through the Holy Spirit, make us whole and strong. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
