Authenticity and authority
Reflection 
Today’s Gospel brings us to Capernaum, a city by the Sea of Galilee. After the painful rejection in Nazareth, Jesus chooses this fishing town as His base—a humble, working-class place. He could have gone to Jerusalem or some grand city of influence, but instead, He planted Himself among ordinary people and began His mission there.
And what a mission it was! The people were amazed—not because Jesus quoted the rabbis or Moses, but because He taught with authority. He didn’t borrow credibility; He embodied it. His words carried weight because His life was rooted in perfect obedience to the Father. And then, when a man possessed by an evil spirit confronted Him in the synagogue, Jesus didn’t argue or perform a show—He simply said: “Be silent, and come out of him!” With just that one command, evil was defeated. That’s divine authority in action.
This Gospel reminds us that our faith is not a blind tradition. It is rooted in a Person—Jesus Christ, whose divine power was not just theoretical, but real, visible, and transformative. His miracles confirmed the truth of His teaching, and His teaching gives hope to our struggles today.
And we do struggle, don’t we?
Just look at what’s happening in our country. Recently, we’ve seen flood control projects fail dramatically, submerging towns and cities. People lose homes, livelihoods, and even loved ones. Yet, when lawmakers begin hearings to “investigate,” it’s clear that the problem isn’t just bad engineering—it’s corruption. Contractors with lavish lifestyles build substandard infrastructure. Politicians pretending to be angry, grilling these contractors publicly, while many of them are also beneficiaries of kickbacks and commissions behind closed doors.
This is not just poor governance—it is spiritual sickness, a kind of possession by greed and hypocrisy, corrupting our institutions. And like the possessed man in the synagogue, it demands an encounter with the real authority of Christ. Because only He can say, “Be silent, and come out!” to the demons that plague our society.
But let’s not point fingers without examining ourselves. We too are called to be people who speak with integrity, who act with authority rooted in truth. That means:
Listening to God’s Word daily, not just for inspiration but for transformation.
Living honestly, refusing to play along with corruption even when it benefits us.
And in our own illnesses—be they physical, moral, or spiritual—approaching Jesus first, with faith and humility, trusting Him before we rely on human solutions.
Because healing—real healing—comes from Jesus, the One who speaks and evil flees, who teaches and hearts are changed.
As we continue with our mass today, let us ask ourselves:
Do we recognize Jesus’ authority in our lives?
Do we allow His Word to speak louder than our excuses?
And are we ready to confront the evil around us—not with condemnation, but with truth, courage, and faith?
May the authority of Christ reign in our hearts, our homes, and yes—even in our government.
Let this be our prayer.
Photo by Edd Gumban grabbed from PhilStar.com.
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!"
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
"What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out."
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
Today’s Gospel brings us to Capernaum, a city by the Sea of Galilee. After the painful rejection in Nazareth, Jesus chooses this fishing town as His base—a humble, working-class place. He could have gone to Jerusalem or some grand city of influence, but instead, He planted Himself among ordinary people and began His mission there.
And what a mission it was! The people were amazed—not because Jesus quoted the rabbis or Moses, but because He taught with authority. He didn’t borrow credibility; He embodied it. His words carried weight because His life was rooted in perfect obedience to the Father. And then, when a man possessed by an evil spirit confronted Him in the synagogue, Jesus didn’t argue or perform a show—He simply said: “Be silent, and come out of him!” With just that one command, evil was defeated. That’s divine authority in action.
This Gospel reminds us that our faith is not a blind tradition. It is rooted in a Person—Jesus Christ, whose divine power was not just theoretical, but real, visible, and transformative. His miracles confirmed the truth of His teaching, and His teaching gives hope to our struggles today.
And we do struggle, don’t we?
Just look at what’s happening in our country. Recently, we’ve seen flood control projects fail dramatically, submerging towns and cities. People lose homes, livelihoods, and even loved ones. Yet, when lawmakers begin hearings to “investigate,” it’s clear that the problem isn’t just bad engineering—it’s corruption. Contractors with lavish lifestyles build substandard infrastructure. Politicians pretending to be angry, grilling these contractors publicly, while many of them are also beneficiaries of kickbacks and commissions behind closed doors.
This is not just poor governance—it is spiritual sickness, a kind of possession by greed and hypocrisy, corrupting our institutions. And like the possessed man in the synagogue, it demands an encounter with the real authority of Christ. Because only He can say, “Be silent, and come out!” to the demons that plague our society.
But let’s not point fingers without examining ourselves. We too are called to be people who speak with integrity, who act with authority rooted in truth. That means:
Listening to God’s Word daily, not just for inspiration but for transformation.
Living honestly, refusing to play along with corruption even when it benefits us.
And in our own illnesses—be they physical, moral, or spiritual—approaching Jesus first, with faith and humility, trusting Him before we rely on human solutions.
Because healing—real healing—comes from Jesus, the One who speaks and evil flees, who teaches and hearts are changed.
As we continue with our mass today, let us ask ourselves:
Do we recognize Jesus’ authority in our lives?
Do we allow His Word to speak louder than our excuses?
And are we ready to confront the evil around us—not with condemnation, but with truth, courage, and faith?
May the authority of Christ reign in our hearts, our homes, and yes—even in our government.
Let this be our prayer.
Photo by Edd Gumban grabbed from PhilStar.com.
Comments
Post a Comment