The homilies and brief Angelus talks of the Pope really set the stage for what we ought to pay attention to in our spiritual life. His thinking is clear, and germane. Today is no different. How is it that we recognize and live within the authority of Jesus?
This Sunday's Gospel (Mk 1.21 to 28) presents us with
Jesus, on the Sabbath day, as he preached at the synagogue at Capernaum, the
small town where Peter and his brother Andrew lived on the lake of Galilee. In
his teaching, which arouses the wonder of the people, following the liberation
of "a man with an unclean spirit" (v. 23), who recognizes in Jesus as
the "saint of God," that is, the Messiah. In a short time, his fame
spread throughout the region, which he travels announcing the Kingdom of God
and healing the sick of all kinds: word and deed. St. John Chrysostom observes
how the Lord "alternates the speech for the benefit of those who listen,
moving on from wonders to words and again passing from the teaching of his
doctrine to miracles" (Hom. on Matthew 25, 1: PG 57, 328).
Continue reading Pope shows us that "True authority is humble service in love".
