Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“They were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:31-37

 

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

 

What does it mean when it says that Jesus “spoke with authority?”  Young Rabbis would rely on the teachings of the prophets and the Rabbis that came before them.  Jesus did not need to refer to the prophets for he was God himself speaking, he was the Word made Flesh.  Therefore, his word was the Word of God, there is no higher authority.  His word was so powerful, he was able to call the demons forth from the people they infected.  Jesus challenged his disciples to define who has control over our life.  In today’s gospel, we see that the man’s life is possessed by an unclean spirit. His life was controlled by this unclean spirit, but in an encounter with Jesus Christ, the unclean spirit was banished from him.  We too may have unclean spirits in our lives and these demons have control over our lives.  These demons are the addictions and actions which separate us from God.  When we encounter Jesus in our life, He has the power to overcome and control these demons.  Through his authority He can destroy the demons and free you from their grip.  At times these demons are so intertwined in our lives, we do not recognize them or we discount the power they have over us.  To recognize these demons, we need to examine our lives.  We also need to recognize that only Jesus has the authority and power to free us from our demons.  It is through our own submission to the will of God, that we will be freed from demons which can consume our lives.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, you are the supreme ruler,

You are God of all.

Call my name and I will come to be your servant

For your word is my authority.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon