Many facets mark this week’s Gospel, which might be titled “A Day in the Life of Jesus.”
It is the Shabbat, the day Jews dedicate to the Lord, coming to the synagogue to learn about God, and worship him in awe and wonder. Jesus, who never exempts himself from the Jewish law, is found in the synagogue that day. It is not said if Jesus is a regular there or an invited guest. All we know is he starts teaching as if he had authority. His words pique everyone’s attention.
Jesus speaks with authority. This word is from the Latin “auctoritas,” meaning influence over others — legally and in effect. However, in the person of Jesus there is something different: He is God incarnate. He is the true author of all good things. He is revealing himself through his word and teaching in a new way — they were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, What is this? A new teaching — with authority!
Out of nowhere, the cry of a demon interrupts Jesus’ instruction. We hear many references to demons in the Gospels. They seem like a holdover from ancient times. I can assure you, having spent my post-Christmas vacation this year with the exorcist of a neighboring diocese, demons are real and active in the lives of a great many people today. The presence of demons in the Gospels is not without meaning to us in the modern era. The demon that Jesus orders out of the man in the synagogue is a demon of ignorance, foolishness and moral turpitude. But it knows who Jesus is.
Before leaving the possessed man, the demon reveals who Jesus is. He is not an ordinary teacher but “the Holy One of God” (Mk 1:24). To appreciate what this phrase means, we should turn to this week’s first reading. According to Deuteronomy, God has promised Israel a prophet who will speak for him. He will have God’s own words in his mouth. The “Holy One of God,” Jesus, is the prophet promised to Moses many centuries earlier. But Jesus is far more than just a prophet, He is the word of God incarnate, God in the flesh.
Jesus admonishes the evil spirit to be quiet when they call him “the Holy One of God.” This characteristic, known as the Messianic secret, refers to Jesus not wanting others to know of his divine sonship. This sounds odd, but there is a reason behind the secrecy. Jesus wants people to see how he must suffer for us to fulfill his divine mission. Only then will the people be able to fully understand that divine sonship requires sacrificial suffering for others.
The words of Jesus burn in the hearts of the people. They resonate with the hard truth that catches our attention. But Jesus also at times speaks plainly without lengthy explanations and multiple citations. Like the people in the Capernaum synagogue, we have to say that he speaks with his own authority.
Today, the same can be said of the Church. The Church teaches with authority because it interprets what Jesus says in the Gospel. In many cases, the Catholic Church speaks against worldly trends. We all know what the Church teaches about many moral and social doctrines, many of them unpopular in our world today. Pope Francis has been particularly assertive with social doctrine. He says in the very title of his encyclical letter, “Fratelli Tutti,” we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all called to know, love and serve God by knowing, loving and serving one another. Having been authoritatively taught by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ just how much God loves us, we can begin to understand how to truly love one another.
Our lives might not be as eventful as Christ’s, and we may not have his charismatic authority, but we can follow Jesus by being more faithful to our Catholic faith, customs, teachings and laws. More importantly, we can be influenced by Christ’s authority to sacrifice our own comfort more lovingly for the good of others, and in a small way share in his divine sonship.
Father Haugan is pastor of Lumen Christi Catholic Community in St. Paul.
Sunday, Jan. 28
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
