Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. Jan. 28, 2024.
Readings
1st: Deuteronomy 18:15-18
2nd: II Corinthians 7:32-35
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Theme: But You, Who Do You Say Jesus Is
My dear people of God, today is Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. Our reflections would touch on all the readings. Very often, people are fascinated reading stories that relate "a day in the life of" people of great popularity. As to whether that gives insights into how others live or they do so to satisfy (or at least, tame) curiosity or gives titillation, we don't know, and may never know, but books/literature on such subjects are usually on high demand. Today's Gospel gives us a spectacular day in the life of Jesus at Capernaum. It is a day Jesus spends teaching, healing people with demonic spirit, working many miracles on sick people, praying alone and preaching in the Synagogue. St. Mark tells us that Jesus teaches with authority and not like the Scribes and the Pharisees. That may sound strange but should not surprise us, for two reasons. For one thing, the Scribes and Pharisees would speak so lengthly and exude excessive and exaggerated authority, almost always arrogating to themselves the power "to do and undo". Their type of preachers are still very common even at our own time. They would want their illiterate followers to believe that they (the preachers) can do what only God can do. For another thing, everything they say and every scripture they quote is always to suit their own purpose. Jesus, on the other hand, knows Scriptures so well that he communicates forthrightly and succinctly (very brief and clear) not just only the text but also the thought/idea behind the text. He says anything anywhere without fear or favor. A sharp difference here has to do with the attitude of "saying only to attract public attention but will not do what is said" and the attitude of "saying and doing what is said". That is authority, in the truest sense - the ability to match your words with your works/deeds; the moral courage to walk your talk because every message is as important as the messenger. You cannot give what you don't have. That makes you lack authority.
It is equally important to note that it is not only the sole interest of St. Mark to tell us how Jesus teaches and, by extention, stir up our curiosity to yearn to know the details of what at all Jesus teaches. St. Mark also wants us to know who Jesus is - 'I know who you are, the Holy One of God". This confession by the unclean spirit (devil) is buttressed and practically confirmed by the doings of Jesus in the very eyes of the people. In a similar development, his adversaries would accuse him of performing exorcisms by the power of Satan. At the cry of the unclean spirit the Scribes and Pharisees would have had to employ chantation and carry out the traditional long rituals but Jesus, with full authority and very few words, rebukes it sharply and orders it to leave the man. He (Jesus) would use the same words later to calm down the violent wind on the turbulent sea. The demon (unclean spirit) comes out of the man with a loud cry. Note that the first cry is one of defiance and resistance, the second is an agonizing cry of total defeat and surrender. By now, the unclean spirit has come to full knowledge of Jesus' true identity and his special relationship with God. Even the devil knows who Jesus is and fears Him for what He can do. But you, who do you say Jesus is? Authority to overcome the power of evil does not come easily. It takes the combined efforts of enormous exertion, faith and knowledge. Whether we believe that the man is truly in the grip of demonic spirit or not, the very least we can assume is that he is out of touch with reality and that is public knowledge. St. Mark reports that the onlookers were amazed, not only at Jesus' teachings but also His doings, both of which authenticate his identity as the prophet foretold by the author of our First Reading of today who takes over from Moses, currently on his death bed. In the mind of the author of Deuteronomy, a true prophet is not one who predicts fortunes for the future, casts spells, or consults spirits. A prophet's role is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. A true prophet sees things as they really are, hears God speak, and announces God's word to the people. Jesus is such a person. "He is like us in all things but sin", and has to search for meaning in the same way we do. He does so while listening to the Father (in prayer) in all things.
We can safely say that St. Paul is another prophet in the true sense. In today's portion of his letter to the Christian community in Corinth, he seeks to answer some pertinent questions the people pose, one of which bothers on sex and marriage. St. Paul's prophetic answers are contained in a short letter, not very detailed, all of which pertain to his own time. At this time of the letter, the Christians believe the second coming of Christ is imminent (very near) and St. Paul sees virginity as a nobler choice of life than marriage. Note, that the Apostle is not contradicting or infringing on a person's freedom to marry, the reason why he puts it eloquently clear that his suggestion is not an imposition but an option. One of the key qualities of a true prophet (and all teachers) is the ability to know the situational needs and challenges of people and address them timely and pragmatically to achieve results. Like Moses, Jesus and St. Paul, you and I are prophets in our own capacities. We pray for discerning insights into issues that confront and affect the lives of people we are called and sent to teach. May God give us the moral courage and autgority to tackle them as they are, so that by our limited selves the afflicted may be comforted and the comfortable afflicted. May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Continue to recite the Holy Rosary daily. God richly bless you and your family.
Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo - Catholic Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. (0244511306/0243711926)