Our theme for today’s reading is: He Speak with Authority
(Which is “The Lord Speak with Authority”)
Here is our first reading:
1st: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Instead, he will send you a prophet like me from among your own people, and you are to obey him.
“On the day that you were gathered at Mount Sinai, you begged not to hear the LORD speak again or to see his fiery presence anymore, because you were afraid you would die.
So the LORD said to me, ‘They have made a wise request.
I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command.
He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him.
But if any prophet dares to speak a message in my name when I did not command him to do so, he must die for it, and so must any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods.’
And here is our Gospel reading:
Gospel: Mark 1: 21-28
Jesus and his disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach.
The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn’t like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.
Just then a man with an evil spirit in him came into the synagogue and screamed,
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are — you are God’s holy messenger!”
Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet, and come out of the man!”
The evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of him.
The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, “What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!”
And so the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the province of Galilee.
Our theme for today’s reading is: He Speak with Authority
Why does our theme says that The Lord speak with authority? Why was it that during His time He attracted multitude of people? Why the Church which He founded continue to grow with many volunteers and dedicated servants and followers all over the world? Why is it that many of them are even willing to lay down their life for His cause? Why for almost 2000 years now, He continue to attract followers? Here are some reasons:
1. From our first reading, here is what The Father in Heaven said about The Messiah: “I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command. He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him.”
The Lord Jesus speaks with authority because The Father in Heaven authorized Him to speak in His behalf. And since He is also God, the second person in The Blessed Trinity, somehow the people who listen to Him can sense this in His presence.
2. During the time that The Lord was with us here on Earth, He drove evil spirits, cured the sick, fed thousands of people and raised the dead to life. He also commanded us to love one another and to exercise values. So naturally people were attracted to Him.
3.The Lord Jesus must have also been a good speaker and communicator to command such a following.
4. For us now in our present time The Lord continue to speak with authority, but it is not so much anymore the miracles that convinced people of His authority, although miracles continue to happen. Rather, they are more on the following:
a. They find life in Christ: Many people in the initial stage of their life does not find the need to ask for help. So they conduct life their own way. Along the way they begin to feel the burden of life. They become weary and discourage, and cannot find the way to a wholesome existence. So they begin to search and asked other people until one day they find Christ through the help of other Christians and The Holy Spirit.
b. When The Lord said: There is more joy in giving than in receiving, they discovered, when tried, that it’s true. Many people find the teachings of Christ, when followed, to be true that lead to a meaningful life.
c. Whether you are just a new believer or a long time believer, His words can lead you into new truths of life.