29/01/2006 - 4TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY
TIME - Year B
First Reading Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 94/95
Second Reading 1Corinthians 7:32-35 Gospel Mark 1:21-28
You shall not have other gods before me! This phrase reminds us of "We
have no other king but Caesar" which the Jews said to Pilate. They had
renounced the faith of the God of Israel, by reneging Jesus, altogether, and
heavily blackmailing the Roman governor. When faith is placed in someone other
than the Father: in man, in things or in animals, first of all, Jesus will be
eliminated, and everyone else will be heavily conditioned, beginning with one's
own family. True faith can only be given to the Father! However, when God is
no longer seen as the Father, it will be almost automatic to turn to other means,
even having faith in magicians, mediums, horoscopes, mascots, lucky charms,
witchcraft, fortunetelling, even black magic (questioning the dead). Those who
have their palms, cards, tea leaves, etc., read so that they can foresee the
future, or seek advice in their path of life, sin gravely. Those who go to these
people intending to create love in others or to pay the devil so that he might
harm others and cause death to "one's own enemies", commit an even
greater sin. Those who perform magic, though they may not seek help from the
devil, yet profit from their clients' belief, solely for the purpose of tapping
into their money, sin gravely against God and man. The Scripture, in fact, says:
"No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through
fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer,
or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles
from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord."
(Deut. 18:10-12)
The people of Israel were afraid of the presence of God and of His voice. So
says the Book of Deuteronomy. God, though, in His love of Father, does not hesitate
to communicate with the people, and chooses a different path; the one which
we, now, also know: "I will raise, for them, a prophet among their brothers
and I will place my words in his mouth, and he will tell them all that I command"!
Here is Jesus among us, who gives us the word of God, who communicates to us
the Father's projects, His plans, and shows us His ways. "Hear Him",
Moses said; also God, the Father, Himself said on the mountain, at the time
of the Transfiguration, strongly repeats to the three disciples: "Hear
Him"!
In reading the first page of the Gospel according to Mark, today, we observe
Jesus who, for the first time "began to teach" in the synagogue at
Capernaum. Twice, the Evangelist notates the stupor of those who came "because
He taught them with authority, and not like the scribes." Jesus received
His authority from God, the same authority as His own. Everyone understands
this, and we understand that the Word of Jesus is in keeping with what our heart
desires and our life yearns for! Jesus speaks of what our life needs, what fulfills
it to reach the fullness of maturity, so that it will be in profound communion
with God, Himself, and with other men, as well; those in the family and in the
midst of the society in which we live. The Word of Jesus is a Word which reveals,
apart from the harmonious rapport between us and the things of the world around
us, that which we can make an instrument of these same things, so that God can
use them so that we can understand His wishes and His revelations more easily
and much more fully.
"He taught them as one who has authority"! This authority is understood
even by the demons, and the episode narrated today is an example. The demon
can even occupy the heart and the body of the man who prays with others in a
holy place, but does not support the Word of Jesus! Before he is revealed to
man, he is revealed as the enemy of Jesus and slanders Him in front of everyone.
He knows that Jesus is the "Holy One of God", yet he accuses Him of
having destructive intentions: "Have you come to destroy us?" God's
command compels him to reveal himself for what he truly is - the one who torments
man. We also see who Jesus really is - the bearer of God's authority! We are
then aided to give Him importance, to listen to Him, to refuse all temptations
which will keep us from welcoming His Word because they come from His enemy,
as well as from our own.
The Apostle Paul tells us how far a Christian can carry the weight of the Word
of Jesus! It is not the road for everyone, but it is a path which is always
possible: one can even renounce human love and take up the love of God, instead.
One can choose not to marry so as to devote oneself to "the Lord's affairs"!
Jesus' authority, however, must involve us, not only with the wonder, but with
faithful and loving obedience. If His Word shows us His divine authority, I
want to listen to Him and I want to live according to His direction, even if
it costs to me; as the saying goes 'going against the current'. It is going
against the current of the world, but not against the current of the fulfillment
of our life and of our true happiness!