Your Word is Power and Life
The words of Jesus resonated deeply with the hearts of the common people. His teachings carried a weight of truth, spoken with an authority that resonated far beyond mere pronouncements. This authority was not borrowed from external sources, as with the scribes who relied on citations. No, Jesus’ authority sprang from within, from the wellspring of His own lived experience. He spoke not of secondhand wisdom, but of truths He had encountered firsthand. Though He held no earthly office, His words carried the divine spark, needing no external validation.
This intrinsic authority was further revealed during one of His teachings, when a poor, afflicted soul interrupted Him. “Leave us alone!” the man cried out, instinctively recognizing the power Jesus wielded against darkness. Jesus, undeterred, rebuked the unclean spirit with a sharp command: “Be silent! Come out of him!” And with a shriek, the evil presence obeyed, fleeing the tormented man. The crowd, witnessing this, marvelled: “What authority He possesses! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey!”
Indeed, this man on the fringes of society and sanity understood Jesus’ nature better than many. He served as a stark reminder: Jesus, the embodiment of God’s will, stood in active opposition to the forces of evil that plague humanity. He came not only to defeat external demons, but to liberate us from the inner demons of prejudice, pride, greed, and cunning. His presence remains with us even now, especially when we gather in His Church, a sacred space where His transformative power is readily available.
Therefore, if we dedicate ourselves to anything less than a divinely guided destiny, we stray from the true purpose of our faith. The Church, established by Jesus Himself, serves as a beacon, guiding us towards lives illuminated by His truth and empowered by His grace. Let us strive, then, to embrace the transformative power within, to step into our own lived authority, and collectively build a world free from the grip of evil, ever mindful of the words spoken by the possessed man: “He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey!”
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam! For the greater glory of God!
Sources: stories4homilies.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/
