JANUARY 10, 2017
8:45 AM ORDINARY FORM MASS (4TH GRADE)
In today's Gospel, we hear that Jesus "taught with authority."
An authority is an "expert power" in something.
We see in the word "authority" the first six letters spell "author." An author is the creator of something – whether a book, or a work of art. In the case of God, He is the "Author" of all creation.
Jesus is the Son of God, and "through Him all things were made" according to the First Chapter of St. John's Gospel. Therefore, Jesus shares in God's authority because He shares in creation with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Human authority is always derived. We base our opinions and motives, too often, on things we've heard without true knowledge of what we are saying. It can be like a game of "telephone tag," where by the time the message is passed through so many people, it's completely distorted and lost.
As God, Jesus can say "I am" with the authority of the Son of God. He is consubstantial with the Father, and shares perfect union within the Trinity as the Second Person of the Godhead.
Because of this, Jesus has many titles. He is God's Word incarnate, our Savior, the Messiah, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light for the human race, Emmanuel, our King, the Bread of Life. And He exercises His authority in all these ways.
The Letter to the Hebrews says that Jesus is "crowned with glory," that is, He has authority over all things and over all creation. We see that in the Gospel where He shows His power through healings and exorcisms. He has authority over the visible, physical world as well as the invisible, spiritual world.
And despite His great power, He is "not ashamed to call us brothers" and sisters. And we should never take that for granted. We need to give Jesus full authority over every aspect of our lives, no matter how trivial or small it may seem.
Every day, we should do everything for the Glory of God through Jesus Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit.
That is the key to living a solid Christian life.
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