By Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: Deut 18: 15-20; Mk 1: 21-28
We often hear that Jesus is kind, merciful, loving, a shepherd, etc. which sounds good to our ears. Liturgy of the day invites us to meditate upon the authoritative aspect of God. In the first reading, we see God who through the mouth of Moses promises to send a new prophet who will teach with authority. And we witness in the Gospel a Jesus who is authoritative in his teaching and preaching. This authority from Jesus is not just for attracting admirers towards us. As children of God we are invited to read the word of God and learn the teachings of the church. And I believe each of us is invited to share his teaching with others with good understanding.
To have the authoritative aspect of Jesus, our words and thoughts must be centered on Jesus. Having undivided attention on him is demanded of us to live a prophetic life. We are all invited to live lives that proclaim the good news of God. It is our responsibility to live out whatever we learned from Jesus and those who teach his words with authority. But often in our lives we fail to know the truth and try to convince others by giving our own views on the word of God and the teachings of the church. This effort will rarely reach the hearts of people in this modern age. It is a strong invitation from God to equip ourselves with the word of God and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to speak to us and prepare our hearts to understand it in the right way.
Do I seek scripture to see how God’s word addresses the issues? Can people see by the way I live my life that I am a follower of the Lord Jesus and live my life with the authority of the Lord Jesus? Do I strive to convey the key teachings of Jesus and the church or give my own views as being just my views and not necessarily the essential truths of our faith?