By Ishongkun Kurbah csc –
Readings: 1 Sam 1:9-20; Mk 1:21-28
The authority of Jesus was acknowledged and accepted by the people because of the words he spoke and work he did. Did he impose himself on the people forcefully to acknowledge that he was the man with special power and authority? No, he never did. What Jesus did was the things he had come to do: teaching, preaching, and healing. And people seeing and hearing about his work realized that Jesus was a different person.
The teaching, preaching and the works of Jesus left no one untouched and stirred within them and made them to say, “He is a man of authority.” if our words and actions come from our heart filled with compassion and love, if our teachings are inspired by God and our preaching is pure, I believe that we too will be able to touch, inspire, and change the people we meet in our lives.
The scribes taught out of their acquired knowledge and wanted to show how learned they were, but the teachings of Christ were from his love and compassion which he demonstrated in deeds. Can we be that different person who can make a different in this world today? Yes, we can when we want to and endeavor by following Christ.
Parents can change a spoiled child when they approach with love and patience. A teacher can educate his/her students with human values when he or she does not teach only for salary but out of love and passion. Priests, religious men and women can inspire and even change people’s lives when they are kind and compassionate and practice what they preach.
Every Christian can make a difference and bring positive change in society and in others’ lives. But we have to be inspiring Christians in our words and deeds. We must reflect love and compassion in our speech and the work we do. We must not pretend or act like the scribes and pharisees only from outside.