Readings: 1 Jude 17.20-25, Ps.63; Mark 11:27-33
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
IDENTIFYING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
In our dealings with people, we are often requested to make reference to authorities in order to back up our claim to know or possess anything. And when such authority is not available our proposal may not be taken seriously. Little wonder our gospel passage today, presents to us the fundamental question concerning the source of Jesus’ authority, namely whether it is divine or human. Here, after Jesus drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple, the chief priests and elders questioned the source of his authority, for they were more concerned to learn whether Jesus had received the proper human authorization by questioning the source of his authority.
In response, Jesus draws their attention to John the Baptist and his authority and by so doing he implies that the source of John’s authority is the source of his as well. Thus, anyone who correctly identifies the source of John’s authority will identify the source of Jesus’ own as well. Therefore the questions we need to ask ourselves are: What is our notion about the authority of Jesus? Do we have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? The crowds identified the source of John and Jesus’ authority as divine. Have we personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in our lives? Why not ask him to manifest his power and authority once more in your life?
Dear friends, we need to open up our hearts to truly embrace the authority of the Lord Jesus. We need to build up our interior lives around his authority, so as to be closer to God and continue to prepare ourselves physically and spiritually for the coming of our Lord Jesus in our hearts and our souls. For there he awaits our response to his invitation to holiness and love. Little wonder St. Jude in our first reading today said when some have doubts reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution.
So, like St. Justin whose memorial we celebrate today, we are called to learn to identify our authority with that of Jesus. He was known for his desire to establish a peaceful relationship between the Church and the state. For through his writings, he tried to convince Emperor Marcus Aurelius to end the persecution of Christians by the Roman state which led to his martyrdom with some of his followers in the year 165.
Today however, St. Justin no doubt, has shown us through his works and interactions, with pagan philosophers and even with the Emperor, that it is indeed possible to be fully faithful and committed to God while exercising our authority and position by living in harmony as a law-abiding citizens of the community and the state even in the midst of persecutions and operations as we experience in our societies today.
LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in your divine authority we build our confidence and hope. May you continue to direct and guide our ways and bring our plans and purposes to a successful end. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful weekend.
