4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Speaking with Authority

Many people in authority from government to civic groups to the church, has given authority a bad name.

Thus, many persons in authority are treated either with fear or suspicion. Fear, because those in authority merely dictates on his/her people and demand obedience. This is authoritarianism. Suspicion, because those in authority do not practice what they preach. They either live in hypocrisy or employ fake news. Thus, in our world today, authority is equated with either grave abuse of power or severe lack of authenticity.

This is unfortunate as authority originally had a positive meaning. The root word of authority is Old French autor, from Latin auctor, from augere ‘increase, originate, promote’. Thus, to have authority is to be a model, encourager or promoter of leadership. Those in authority aims to inspire, empower and encourage.

Jesus in the gospel today preached with genuine authority. Unlike the scribes, Jesus taught and minister to the people with authority.

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes (Mark 1: 22).

Today’s gospel of Mark narrates the beginning of the ministry of Jesus’ proclamation of God’s kingdom. The driving out of the evil spirit from a man in the synagogue was the first miracle of Jesus recorded in the gospel of Mark.

Jesus’ driving out the evil spirit was just one of the signs that the kingdom of God has already arrived as Jesus begins his ministry. Through Jesus, the power of evil will never prevail over the power of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus’ authority and attitude to the man with unclean spirit in the gospel shows God’s power over evil. Jesus is unruffled even when the unclean spirit strike fear into the hearts of the people. Jesus in driving out the evil spirit did not use any incantations; he does not plead. Rather than Jesus being afraid of them, the demons are afraid of him. Upon seeing them, they shriek. He calmly commands–“shut up and get out.”A moment later all is still. A former victim is now a free man and the people marvel. 

Clearly, Jesus had authority. It was this authority of Jesus that amazed the crowd. That authority sprang from Jesus’s relationship with God. Jesus taught as God’s spokesman, whereas the Scribes taught from their own reflections or understanding of the law and its authority. It was the 1st Century equivalent of name-dropping. The scribes habitually lend credence to their proclamations by appealing to this Rabbi or that teacher. But Jesus did not name-drop. In contrast Jesus doesn’t say which other teachers he agrees with, but simply declares what God says. Jesus’ reliance on God’s word impressed the common people, and they flocked to Him in droves.

While the Scribes operated in the letter of the law, Jesus operated in the Spirit of the law. Jesus teachings concerned itself primarily with the weightier issues which uphold the letter of the Law; such as love, compassion, mercy, inner purity, humility, integrity, and so much more. Jesus’s words gave life and hope; they were an encouragement to many who heard them, because Jesus spoke with authority outside the law.

Jesus was authentic—who he is matches his words. He displayed power in words and actions/miracles. He communicated life rather than legalism. He was willing to give up His life for others, rather than seeking self gain. He was passionate. He communicated beyond mere information, into emotion. Truth that is intellectually and emotionally relevant.

In today’s manipulative use of authority and lack of authenticity, Jesus invites us to share in his living out and preaching with authority. Once we are in Christ, the enemy has no more authority or power over us.

In sharing Jesus’ authority, we will preach neither for our own glory nor seeking to be accepted or thought well of, but for the coming of the Kingdom of God and the service of his flock. We will preach with zeal, trusting that our preaching will move others for God’s kingdom. Most importantly, we will live a holy life in accord with what we preach. Of course, nobody’s perfect, and we don’t have any illusions that we can reach perfection in this world. Imperfections are fine as long as we sincerely admit it and lead us to further trust in Jesus and further growth in doing the will of God and exercising service with fellow sinners.

Authority ought not to have a bad name. We need to speak with authority—the authority of truth, goodness, love, forgiveness, justice and peace. The authority of the values of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached. In following Jesus, we will learn of authority that aims to inspire, empower and encourage.

On whose authority do we live? On the authority of the world or the authority of Jesus?

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Audacity of Good News

Everyday, we are bombarded with bad news. From the enormous suffering and gloom brought about by the pandemic to corruption in government to scandals in the church to natural and human-made calamities to marriage breakdowns and domestic violence, all these bad news seemed to diminish our hopes that things will get better than will it get worse.

Behind these bad news, however, there are good news that do not surrender to the despair brought about by the bad news. Most of these good news represent the utter goodwill and generosity of hearts of many people–the many frontliners who have generously given their time even their lives to caring for the sick and dying of covid-19, the anonymous people who help victims of calamities, and those who continue to take the side of the poor, oppressed and powerless even at the risk of their own lives.

Every good news is meant to inspire and prod us to never give up despite the many almost insurmountable challenges we face each day. It is in the same spirit that we listen to the proclamation of the gospel in every Eucharist we attend. The word gospel itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, meaning “good story,” a rendering of the Latin evangelium and the Greek euangelion, meaning “good news” or “good telling.”

In the readings for today’s 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, we hear of the audacity of good news amidst the bad news that has engulfed the chosen people of God in biblical times.

In the First Reading, we hear of the repentance of the people of Nineveh despite being a pagan city. Despite that Jonah, the prophet sent by God, secretly did not want the pagan city, Nineveh, to convert and be saved because this city was an enemy of the Hebrews. Better for it to perish in flames than to repent in ashes and sackcloth.  

In the gospel, Jesus began his ministry of the proclamation of the good news at the same time that John the Baptist was arrested by Herod. The arrest of John may have been a very bad news for many people. John the Baptist represents hope in the midst of the oppressive occupation of Israel by the Romans. John the Baptist proclaimed the coming of the messiah which would bring back their glory days under God’s rule.

The Gospel goes on to give us a summary of Jesus’ message: ‘Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand’. Repent’ for Jesus means something far more than simple sorrow for sins. The Greek word used, metanoia, literally means a ‘change of mind’ – a change not just in an intellectual sense but involving a transformation of attitude at a deep personal level.  This means looking at one’s life and one’s hopes for the future in a totally new way, open and receptive to the – usually surprising – action of God. The Kingdom of God meant this kind of radical change of heart.

It is good to note the kinds of people Jesus chose for Apostles: from the fishermen brothers Simon and Andrew to Matthew and John, they were all flawed yet graced. Leaving their family and their livelihood, they are to become his intimate companions and followers. Life with him, and association with his ministry of healing and proclaiming the Good News, will transform them from being fishers of fish to being fishers, ‘catching’ people for the Kingdom.

The inauguration of the public ministry of Jesus is an ongoing story. We are all called to participate in the inauguration of the Kingdom by Jesus by becoming the Good News, through witnessing the values of God’s kingdom in the midst of the darkness and misery of the world today, and through drawing others constantly (those who ‘live in the darkness and shadow of death’) into the freedom and light that Jesus has brought into the world.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Finding Our Deepest Longings in the Gospel

We now begin what the Church calls “Ordinary Time.” Christmas season is over.  During Ordinary Time, we focus on Jesus’ ministry.

Our readings today touch on the theme of vocation—God’s calling. Calling or vocation is an important reality of our lives. Each of us has a calling which can be found in our deepest longings and desires. If we truly listen, in our deepest longings and desires, is where we can meet God.

In the First Reading, Samuel, who was still young, was waked up by hearing his name called in the night. He thought that the person calling him was Eli, the old priest whom Samuel served. But Samuel was wrong in thinking this. It was the Lord calling.

It took three times of God calling before the experienced old priest Eli tumbled to the fact that it was God who was calling Samuel. The key moment is when Samuel learns to open himself up to God’s message: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” It took four times of God’s calling before Samuel finally answered by saying, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

The moral of this story is that the voice of God can be anywhere, in any guise. God can use events, even the most unexpected events and other people to call us.  God calls us a number of times in our lives. It is the willingness to listen, to trust and obey, that makes the Lord known. Many times, the Lord calls and speaks in our daily lives, but we do not recognize and hear him, because we fail to listen.

In the gospel we hear of another vocation story, the call of the apostles. Jesus challenges the two disciples of John the Baptist with the question: “What are you looking for?”

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

The question of Jesus strikes a very deep chord in our journey in life. All throughout our lives, we have been asking: “What am I looking for? What’s my aim and goal? What am I really trying to get out of life? Have we found what we’ve been looking for” Guess what? God knows our deepest desires, and God wish to satisfy the desire that is most precious in us. The gospel of Jesus that Jesus proclaimed tries to respond to our deepest longings and aspirations.  God wishes to connect our longings and aspirations with the gospel of Jesus. How do I experience Jesus’ gospel meeting my desires in life?

They said to him, “Rabbi”
“where are you staying?”

In trying to discern the answer to what we are looking for in life, usually, our first concern is our own security and needs. What can I get out of a particular calling? Will I be secure, comfortable and safe, if we try to follow a certain calling, let alone Jesus’ invitation? This was how the first disciples reacted to Jesus’ invitation. Their first concern to Jesus was understably about their economic and security needs: Where will we live? What will we eat? How can we satisfy our own needs and security?

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

Jesus’ reply challenged the disciples’ economic and personal security concerns. Jesus did not take for granted the disciples’ personal economic and security concerns and invited the disciples to come with him. Jesus will take care of the disciples needs while following him.

Jesus, however, asked them to learn a new way of seeing. Seeing in the gospel of John is another term for believing. Believing is to have a new outlook in life according to the gospel of Jesus. In other word, the gospel of Jesus is an invitation for a radical change or a new way of thinking and doing. The new perspective of the gospel will give them greater joy and meaning and satisfies their quest about what they are looking in life.

In the midst of our deepest desires and longings may we truly hear God’s calling towards a richer and fuller meaning of life. Let us truly believe in the fulfillment of our longings and aspiration by responding positively to the new way of seeing and living that the gospel of Jesus invites us to.

The Baptism of the Lord: Living the Spirit of Christmas Throughout the Year

Today is the last day of the Church’s Christmas season. Jesus’ birth has now been celebrated. His public life comes next. His baptism begins it.

The end of Christmas is not just the putting down of all Christmas decorations–the Belen (Nativity Scene), Christmas tree, Christmas lights and others. The end of Christmas is not going back to our ordinary past lives as if there is no change in our lives. As we say in Filipino–balik sa dating ugali or BSDU (back to old ways).

The end of Christmas is also a beginning–the beginning of Jesus’ mission. This is what we celebrate today–the baptism of Jesus as the beginning of his mission.

As we commemorate the baptism of our Lord, we are also invited to return to our own baptism. The end of Christmas calls us to relive our baptismal identity in our daily ordinary lives. The end of Christmas is the beginning of the work of Christmas.

The readings for today’s Baptism of the Lord talks about the meaning of baptism and mission of Jesus. The first reading from the prophet Isaiah, talks about what kind of a servant Jesus will be.

Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

In the gospel, we saw how the Baptism of Our Lord was the united action of one God, three Persons. The Father called out from heaven, “This is my beloved, in whom I am well pleased.” The Spirit descended on Jesus after he was baptized, “the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.”

In reliving our baptism in the context of today’s realities, it might also be helpful to look back at the history of the sacrament of baptism.  R. Alan Streett, Senior Research Professor of Biblical Theology at Criswell College, Dallas, Texas, in his book, Caesar and the Sacrament: Baptism, A Rite of Resistance, examined the origin of the sacrament of baptism within the context of the Roman Empire and its relationship to Roman power.

Streett claims that Christ-followers borrowed the term sacramentum and used it to express their loyalty to Christ and his kingdom. Tertullian (160 CE‒225 CE) identified baptism specifically as the Christian sacramentum and contrasted it to a Roman soldier’s pledge of loyalty to the Emperor and Empire (Tertullian, Bapt. 4.4–5; Idol. 19.2). Just as a soldier upon his oath of allegiance was inducted into Caesar’s army, so a believer was initiated by the sacrament of baptism into God’s kingdom. Each vowed faithful service to his god and kingdom.^[1]

When Christ-followers submitted to baptism and pledged their allegiance to a kingdom other than Rome and a king other than Caesar, they participated in a politically subversive act. Through the sacramentum of baptism they joined a movement that rejected Rome’s public narrative, ideology, hierarchical social order, and Caesar’s claim to be Lord over all.  Baptism, thus, became a rite of resistance, a politically subversive act.^[2]

As a sacramentum, baptism was, in Richard DeMaris’ term, a “boundary crossing ritual”. When crossed, it meant breaking formal ties with the past, declaring loyalty to another Lord, and accepting a new and alternative identity—that of a Christ-follower. Hence, baptism was a political act of subversion, a rite of resistance against the prevailing power structures that often led to persecution and even death.^[3]

This historical context and lesson about the beginning of the sacrament of baptism challenges us to relive baptism today as a transformed public life that reflects Christ-likeness in the midst of a culture of violence and human oppression. The sacrament of baptism calls us to radically redefine our lives in accord with covenantal kingdom principles. This is not easy; to break with the predominant culture and follow Christ is often costly.

Hence, the Baptism of Our Lord is a reminder for us of the counter-cultural witness of our baptismal identity today. At the end of this Christmas season, we have been empowered by Christ, who became flesh and dwelt among us, to practise the true spirit of Christmas throughout the year.

Our celebration of Christmas does not end with the infant Jesus, but with the adult Jesus being baptized and beginning his saving mission. We who have been baptized with his Spirit take up his work of salvation during Ordinary Time, continuing his mission of bringing the Good News to others.

I would like to end with a litany called “The Work of Christmas” composed by Howard Thurman, an African-American theologian, educator, and civil rights leader.

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.

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^[1] R. Alan Streett, “Baptism as a Politically Subversive Act,” The Bible and Interpretation, December, 2018. Accessed at https://bibleinterp.arizona.edu/articles/baptism-politically-subversive-act#_ftn3.

The Epiphany of the Lord: Christ is the Light to All People

Today we celebrate the second solemnity of the Christmas season—the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.  Epiphany means ‘manifestation’ or ‘theophany’ understood particularly as the manifestation of Israel’s Messiah to the Gentile nations. The Gentile nations are all the nations outside of the Jewish nation. They are represented by the three Magi who journeyed from the East to pay homage to Jesus. The magi were guided by the light of the star that pointed to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was (Matthew 2: 9).

Christmas is the season of the manifestation of Christ as the Light.  The first manifestation was on Christmas day when Jesus was born as a sign to the world that God’s promised light had come to earth. This is splendidly pronounced in the prophecy of Isaiah in the first reading during the Christmas midnight mass:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone (Isaiah 9: 1).

The second manifestation of Christ as light during Christmas season is the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany proclaims that the Son of God came for all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. His saving love is available to everyone, everywhere, in whatever state of life they may find themselves. There is no one outside of God’s love.

Christmas proclaims that Christ as light shines in the midst of darkness in the world. Yes, there is so much darkness in our world today—war, poverty, injustice, violence, terror, sickness, inequality and despair.  But darkness will give way to the light of Christ—the light of peace, love, justice, joy, hope, and unity. This is eloquently expressed by Isaiah in the first reading today,

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory (Isaiah 60: 1 – 3).

The feast of the epiphany proclaims furthermore that the Light of Christ shines even beyond Christianity. Christmas is not just for Christians but for all. Jesus came not just for the Chosen People, the Jews, but Jesus came to save all people, Gentiles as well as the Jews. The wise men, though were pagans, came to faith in Jesus through the grace of God.

The wise men are represented today by the non-Christians or other religions, those who do not yet know and those who have not yet made that journey to Jesus. They too can be led to the light of Christ. We saw through the story of the wise men that through the grace of God the wise men were led to Jesus. Even though they did not know Jesus they had a desire to meet Jesus. In their own way, with their beliefs, they lived as best they could and this eventually led them to Jesus. As Vatican II says,

“Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation.” (Lumen Gentium §16)

This does not mean, however, that the Church does not have to spread the Gospel, to just sit back and be lazy. The Church’s primary mission and vocation has always been to proclaim Jesus as savior of all humanity.  Jesus’ last command before his ascension was to baptize all nations, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. God in God’s mysterious ways, however, uses all channels even beyond the Catholic faith so that God’s light and love maybe proclaimed and experienced by all of God’s creation.

Today’s feast teaches us that for God there are no foreigners, no outsiders.  Epiphany tells us that there is no “Chosen People” whether they be Jews or Christians (or Catholics).  All are called—be it the Mother of Jesus, the rich and the poor, the privileged and the lonely, the healthy and the sick, the saints and the sinners to the light—Christ our Lord and Savior.

We pray with Anne Osdieck,

Lord,
shine your light on us all.
May your star chase away our darkness
and fill us with your radiant love.
Make us your epiphanies
overflowing with
wonderful
care for
each
other.^[1]

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^[1] Anne Osdieck, Praying Towards Sunday, The Sunday Website at Saint Louis University. Accessed 07/01/2018 at http://liturgy.slu.edu/EpiphanyB010718/prayerpathmain.html

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God: How to Start the New Year with Mary

Welcome, New Year 2022!

January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics not because it is New Year ’s Day, but because it is the octave (8th day) of Christmas.  On this Octave of Christmas the church celebrates the Feast of Mary the Mother of God.  It was only in AD 431, 400 years after the birth of the church, that the Council of Ephesus solemnly proclaimed Mary as Mother of God, in the original Greek, Theotokos. “Theotokos” is a Greek word which means “God-bearer.”

As we begin the New Year, we are invited by the church to learn from Mary.  In the midst of the different rituals and practices that the world offers for the New Year, like writing New Year’s resolutions, making noise and exploding firecrackers, the church offers Mary’s example as a fresh approach to beginning the New Year.

What can we learn from Mary as we begin the New Year?

First, like Mary as theotokos, we are called to be God-bearers. Last Christmas, we celebrated the incarnation of God in each one of us. God identified with all our experiences –our joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties. As we begin the New Year, we feel renewed and strengthened that God is with us and accompanies us to a new beginning. Like Mary, as we begin the New Year, we bear God in our lives every step of the way. The challenge for us is to nurture and sustain God’s incarnation all throughout the New Year by our trust and confidence in Christ who dwells in us. By our firm confidence in the Emmanuel we will show others to Christ who is also dwelling in their own lives.

Second, like Mary, we are called to ponder the Good News of Christ dwelling in us and being completely open to its bearing in our lives. In the Gospel today, we read how Mary incessantly pondered on the birth of Jesus throughout her whole life.

And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.

In the gospel of Luke, Mary represents the ideal believer, for she hears the good news and ponders it in her heart, and fully responds to it. Her heart becomes the place of discovering Jesus, who he truly is. Mary’s entire life focused on that process of pondering who that child now born to us really is. We make a major mistake if we think that from the moment of the Annunciation Mary completely knew, or understood, the full significance of her Son. Mary pondered on who that child would be from her “Yes” at the Annunciation.

I am reminded of a Christmas song which expresses the genuine questions and feelings of Mary about the birth of Jesus. The song is “Mary, Did You Know?” The song has become a modern Christmas classic, being recorded by many artists over the years across multiple genres. It may be helpful to reflect on the lyrics of the song:

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding is the great I am

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

Mary spent her life pondering the visible Word of God that was and is her Son. Human as she is, just like each one of us, she had questions and did not fully comprehend the mission of Jesus.  This did not, however, deter her to continuously learn and open herself to the wonders and challenges of Jesus’ mission. She grew in knowing him, in comprehending the mystery of God Incarnate.

As Mary pondered that visible Word, as we begin this New Year, we too are called to continuously ponder the incarnation of Jesus in our lives. In spite of the many obstacles and problems we have to hurdle, like Mary let us become open to the mystery and wonder of Jesus’ incarnation.  Despite all the evil, terror, uncertainty and crisis prevailing in our country today, let us not lose that sense of wonder, that sense of hope, that sense of goodness, that sense of life.  Like Mary we cannot afford to be passive, cynical or fatalistic about this coming year because Jesus is our guide and strength.

As we begin this New Year may we rest our hands on the hand of Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help that she will lead us to her Divine Son, Jesus; that she will bring us closer to Jesus, and to all whom Jesus loves—the oppressed, the afflicted, the marginalized, and the Poor of Yahweh.

I end with the Aaronic blessing from the Book of Numbers in the first reading today:

The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!

Through the prayers of Mary may we be blessed and be a blessing this New Year 2021!