Daily Reflection – 1/9/2024
Sacred Scripture
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “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, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28)
Reflection
There is a key word in this scripture. It’s the word “authority”. Most people understand it in the context of another person or entity who has the authority to do whatever he/she says. Or an expert.
But to understand authority, we need to revert to the root of the word. The root of the word is “author” – to create something original from one’s own self. From the essence of who a person is.
Jesus was speaking with authority. He was speaking from His very essence which was God. The people who heard Him knew that this was a very different person than those who governed them and those who led them spiritually. Jesus spoke from his very essence which was purely authentic.
All of us know authenticity. We see it in our children. We marvel at how loving, innocent, and genuine they are. We all once had the authenticity of a child. As time passes, we begin to take on various veneers, most of them shaped by society. We learn how we “should” act as a businessperson or trades person. We learn how we are to relate to our neighbors. We learn what society tells us is “correct.” As time goes by, those veneers do what veneer does – it covers up the original coating. Too many people are lost because they don’t know what their authenticity is any longer. For many, that inability to find themselves – to be themselves – leads to problems.
But we must for answer the call of Jesus Christ is to be our authentic selves. To be the person whom He created. To walk in love, to speak of love, to lead others to Him through Hos love.
Why? Because you and I are called to help build His kingdom on this earth.
You and I have been chosen to accomplish that task out of who you and I are. Not imagined. Not acted. But from the authenticity of our lives. Not what we think others wanted.
We pursue God with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength. We put the teachings of Jesus into action in our daily lives. And then we must be honest and real in sharing our experience with one another.
The more we know about Christ we grow in faith and become more open to God. The more we do these things, the more we realize that when we start living our lives, and live them for God, the context of being part of Jesus Christ changes the way we relate to the world.
When Jesus Christ is the authority in our lives, we do not need a mask. Our lives become stronger, bolder, livelier, and more joyful. We have been given our own context. We are placed in our own story.
Within that story, Christ asked us to reflect him. To reflect on Him through our lives and our experiences. Not anyone’s else. Him through us!
When we do, our lives change, and we become the people we were created to be.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord, we often come to you as if you are an insignificant thought, a guiding principle that is nice and easy. Help us to be honest with you about who we are, what we have done and what we have failed to do. Give us the strength we need to live as your disciples, filled with the authority you bring as our Creator and Our Lord.”
Daily Note
Jesus is still teaching to us today. He teaches with authority because it is his own profound experience and it is his deepest desire to heal our distressed spirits, so we too can experience for ourselves and participate in the building of His kingdom.
