Tuesday, 1st Week

 I Sm 1:1-8; Ps 116: 12-13.14 and 17.18-19.
Mk 1: 14-20
Theme: “The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.”

 

I put forward which happened in the life of Gandhi.  A woman came to see Mohandas Gandhi, waiting in line for more than half a day with her son at her side in order to have an audience with him. When at last it was their turn to speak to him, the woman said, “Mahatma, please. Tell my son he must stop eating sugar. It is ruining his health, his teeth, it affects his mood. Every time he has it, I see the change in him and there is nothing I can do to stop him from eating it, and then eating more. He’s a good boy, but when it comes to sugar, he becomes a liar and a thief and a cheat and I’m afraid it will ruin his life. Please, Gandhiji, tell him to stop.”  Gandhi looked at the boy for the longest time as he cowered there, trying to hide in his mother’s sari. Finally, Gandhi broke the silence and said. “Come back to me in two weeks time.” Two weeks later the woman returned with her child and once again waited in line for hours before finally it was again their turn to see the Master. “Mahatma,” said the mother. “We have returned. We came to you for help with this boy and eating sugar and you asked us to come back after two weeks.”  “Yes, of course I remember,” said the master. “Come here, child.” He motioned the boy forward. The boy, at the urging and prodding of his mother, disentangled himself from her sari and stepped up to the Mahatma who reached out, putting his hands on the boy’s shoulders and pulling him in close. He looked the boy squarely in the eye and said, firmly, “Don’t eat sugar,” then released him. “That’s it?” said the mother. “That’s all you’re going to say?” She was flabbergasted. “Why didn’t you just tell him that two weeks ago?” “Because,” replied Gandhi, “Two weeks ago I was still eating sugar myself.”

Today’s Gospel we see that there are 2 kinds of teachers. There are Jesus and scribes. Now people were astonished by Jesus only. Why is it? It is because Jesus taught them with authority. Jesus used the authority which is authentic as well as divine.

What is the criteria for using the authority? The only criteria is to be holy and not just to be holy but “Holy One of God.” We see in the Gospel that unclean spirit acknowledges who Jesus is. He is holy one of God. He is the beloved son of God as we have seen it in the Baptism of the Lord. He is endowed with the divine authority as he is the son of God.

Why the unclean spirit did followed Jesus’ Command? Since Jesus is holy one of God, Jesus rebuked by saying: “Be silent, and come out of Him.” Unclean spirit followed His command. The unclean spirit followed Him since Jesus is holy and divine. The spirit could not find any loophole to attack him. He was the divine Teacher. He had the truth and lived the life of Holiness. 

One may ask what it means to be holy. It is to set apart ourselves from the things of the world. It is to focus on the things of the world. We need to give up our addictions and bad habits which brings us far away from God. We need to walk the talk as Jesus himself as done.

All of us one are needed to be Teacher in our life to the people around us to spread the faith and values. If you want the people to follow or listen to you, you need to be holy and your teaching or authority is based on the Gospel values. I would like to quote Gandhi: “My Life is my Message.” We need to bear witness in our life not mere words. Our life should the witness of Christ who teach everyone with divine authority.