What is this new teaching with authority?

"Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.  The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.......“What is this? A new teaching with authority.  (Mark 1: 21 - 22,  27).

Yes indeed.  Jesus taught with authority.  He is still teaching today with authority through the Church.  It is ridiculous for Jesus to found a Church without giving the Church real authority to teach.  "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”  (Luke 10: 16).

The name of this authority is the Magisterium.  It comes from the Latin word magister, which means "teacher."  Actually, the divine teaching role of the Church stands on 3-legged stool:
#1  Sacred Scriptures
#2  Sacred Tradition
#3  Magisterium

Like the 3-legged stool, each of the legs need each other to support the superstructure.  The teachings of the Magisterium cannot contradict Sacred Scriptures or Sacred Tradition and vice-versa.

In today's first Reading from Deuteronomy, we read:
"I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command.  Anyone who will not listen to my words which the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will hold accountable for it.  But if a prophet presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die."  (Deuteronomy 18:  18 - 20).

You may call this the legal code that establishes Authority in the future, Qahal, Ecclessia or Church.
It can never be exaggerated that Authority is at the core of the life of the Church.

"What is this? A new teaching with authority?"  (Mark 1: 27).
Actually not a new teaching.  The same teaching from the Rabbi Moses.  The word of God!

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I have sinned against the Lord.

"You have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."  (2 Samuel 12: 10).

David despised God by his sin. I looked up DESPISE in the dictionary and found the following:
1: to look down on with contempt or  aversion 
2: to regard as  negligible, worthless, or distasteful 

Pretty strong language.

" Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan answered David: “For his part, the Lord has removed your sin. You shall not die,  but since you have utterly spurned the Lord by this deed, the child born to you will surely die.” (2 Samuel 12: 13-14).

Here is David at his very best.  No pretenses. No excuses. "I have sinned against the Lord."

"A clean heart create for me, God;
renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit. I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you."  (Psalm 51:  12 - 15).

Psalm 51 is the best and greatest prayer of repentance.  It was good for David. It has been good for kings and queens, princes and princesses, soldiers and common people throughout the centuries.
God still listens to it with delight.

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Go into the world and spread the Good News

"Jesus said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. (Mark 4:  26 - 27).

What is your notion of apostolic work and endeavor? Hard work, boisterous energy, personal investment of time, talent and treasure?  Jesus says that the Seed Grows of Itself, that is, by the power of God and not by anything you or me can contribute.  So be humble and learn what this means.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves."  (Psalm 127:  1 - 2).

"Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” (Mark 4: 28 - 29).

How much does God need and depend on our hard work and services?  As much as a mother busy in the kitchen needs the "hard work and services" of her one year old daughter.

But yet, we all have a part to play to evangelize the world.  This is the mystery.

"Go into the whole world, and proclaim the Gospel.  I am with you always, says the Lord."  (Mark 16: 15; Matthew 28: 20 RM).

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David and Saul

"David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.....
Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon....
Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. (2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19).

The entire passage of the first Reading today (2 Samuel 6: 12 - 15, 17 - 19) is a type and shadow of the Eucharistic liturgy where King David is the High Priest prefiguring Jesus Christ our Eternal High Priest.  We know that David is a type of Christ.

Note the choice of vocabulary in the liturgical narrative:
David was dressed in a linen apron.
He sacrificed an ox and a fatling every six steps of the procession.
The crowd (all the House of Israel) blew the horn and shouted with joy as they processed with the Ark.
David danced before the Ark with abandon.
Acting like a priest, he offered burnt and peace offerings before the Lord.
David then blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts.
Then came Communion time:  David distributed among the entire people a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.  With this came the dismissal of the people. (Ite Missa est).

Why is David the man after God's heart?  In spite of his moral weaknesses, David is humble and a repentant sinner.  Saul who lost his kingship to David was a proud and unrepentant sinner.  The sin of Saul, disobedience was described as similar to witchcraft and idolatry.  David committed adultery with murder but God regarded it as a sin of weakness.  When David was accused, he did not argue like Saul but acknowledged his sin. Thanks to his repentance, David left us Psalm 51, the most profound prayer of repentance.

God said of David:  "He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock of my salvation!.....
Forever I will maintain my mercy for him; my covenant with him stands firm. "  (Psalm 89: 27, 29).

David's legacy in the genealogy of Jesus Christ is a very important one.

Addendum:

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
(1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV) 012518

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Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

"Jesus said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. (Mark 4:  26 - 27).

What is your notion of apostolic work and endeavor? Hard work, boisterous energy, personal investment of time, talent and treasure?  Jesus says that the Seed Grows of Itself, that is, by the power of God and not by anything you or me can contribute.  So be humble and learn what this means.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves."  (Psalm 127:  1 - 2).

"Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” (Mark 4: 28 - 29).

How much does God need and depend on our hard work and services?  As much as a mother busy in the kitchen needs the "hard work and services" of her one year old daughter.

But yet, we all have a part to play to evangelize the world.  This is the mystery.

"Go into the whole world, and proclaim the Gospel.  I am with you always, says the Lord."  (Mark 16: 15; Matthew 28: 20 RM).

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God has chosen you from the world to bear witness to His Resurrection.

"The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;  for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard."  (Acts 22: 14 - 15).

Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, the Apostle.
St Paul was specially chosen to bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the keystone of the the Christian faith. "And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless."  (1 Corinthians 15: 14).

We too are mandated by the Lord Jesus Christ to bear the same witness every day.
 “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."  (Mark 16: 15).

"You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: [appointed you] to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last[remain; abide]. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name."  (John 15: 16 EXB)

"I will bear witness to You in the world O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of Your name among my brothers and sisters.  (Psalm 17: 50 ; 21:23 RM)

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Trusting Divine Providence

"Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word,  but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit."  (Mark 4: 18 - 19).

The lure of riches:  Why are we tempted to acquire more riches than we need?
#1 Lack of faith that God will provide our necessities when we need them.
#2  We hoard riches in order to beat the the designs of God's Providence. 

God's gracious will is that there will be times and seasons in life for all creation. This Order in Creation, that is, Times and Seasons is threatening to many people. They would like to change it.  If they can, the world will have only spring time, always sunny, always full heath, purse always full of gold coins, etc, etc. This is ridiculous.

A man may have all the money in the world and store up all the food and drinks he can, but illness that is beyond his control will prevent him from enjoying that food.
So we see that Divine Providence is always in control.

"I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all."  (Ecclesiastes 9: 11).

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Where are you anxious?

"Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word,  but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit."  (Mark 4: 18 - 19).

Among the chokers of life mentioned here are:
#1 Anxieties 
#2 Riches 
#3 Pleasures of life

Most spiritual writers say that anxieties is the worst of the 3. If the other two choke the spiritual life out of you quick and easy, anxieties act like a giant python that wraps you in a deadly embrace and kill you by slow motion.

First identify the thorns choking your spiritual life and move away from them. For help: what occupies your thoughts 60% of the time? Health, Family, Money, Job, etc.  Whatever it is, that is your treasure. That is probably what is choking your heart.

Now apply repeatedly the medicine of the word of God:
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4: 6 - 7 NLT).

Since God promises to provide you all the money you need, fight and conquer anxiety about money.
“For the love of money is the
root of all kinds of evil. Some
people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and
pierced themselves with
many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6: 10).

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Forever I shall maintain my mercy for David.

"David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.....
Then David, girt with a linen apron,
came dancing before the LORD with abandon....
Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. (2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19).

The entire passage of the first Reading today (2 Samuel 6: 12 - 15, 17 - 19) is a type and shadow of the Eucharistic liturgy where King David is the High Priest prefiguring Jesus Christ our Eternal High Priest.  We know that David is a type of Christ.

Note the choice of vocabulary liturgical narrative:
David was dressed in a linen apron.
He sacrificed an ox and a fatling every six steps of the procession.
The crowd (all the House of Israel) blew the horn and shouted with joy as they processed with the Ark.
David danced before the Ark with abandon.
Acting like a priest, he offered burnt and peace offerings before the Lord.
David then blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts.
Then came Communion time:  David distributed among the entire people a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.  With this came the dismissal of the people. (Ite Missa est).

Why is David the man after God's heart?  In spite of his moral weaknesses, David is humble and a repentant sinner.  Saul who lost his kingship to David was a proud and unrepentant sinner.  The sin of Saul, disobedience was described as similar to witchcraft and idolatry.  David committed adultery with murder but God regarded it as a sin of weakness.  When David was accused, he did not argue like Saul but acknowledged his sin. Thanks to his repentance, David left us Psalm 51, the most profound prayer of repentance.

God said of David:  "He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock of my salvation!.....
Forever I will maintain my mercy for him; my covenant with him stands firm. "  (Psalm 89: 27, 29).

David's legacy in the genealogy of Jesus Christ is a very important one.

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A Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."  (Mark 3: 24)

Today is Monday, 22nd January 2018, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time.  Today is the beginning of the Week of Prayer by all Churches for Christian Unity.  Today is also the Day of Prayer for the Protection of human life, especially Unborn Children.

Is there any connection between Christian Unity and Protection of human life? The key Scripture for today warns that "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3: 24).

The splinters of the Church in the 16th century brought about a worldview that gave birth to abortion and sexual license.  Families are divided against themselves, churches against churches, political parties against political parties.  If the Church is one as intended by her Founder Jesus Christ, don't you think that a unified strong voice proclaiming the Good News and shining the Light of Christ on the world will be more effective?

Pray for Christian Unity. Pray for protection of human life.

"Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel."  (Cf 2 Timothy 1: 10).

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