Some of this reflection is recycled, but totally worth repeating I think.
“He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” Another word for authority is power, influence, or command. The gospels are a run manual for how we are to lives and today’s lesson is that we have power in Christ Jesus. As he was preaching, an unclean spirit cried out to challenge him. How many times have you just been going along minding your own business, serving the Lord, and a challenging season hits you from out of the blue? It even and especially happened to Jesus, so I think we can expect it to continue to happen in our lives, however, Jesus shows us how to deal with it in today’s gospel. The challenge from the unclean spirit sounded much like the voices in our heads that try to convince us of a lie: you’re not good enough, you’ll never recover from your loss, your addiction will last forever, you are unwanted, your sin is too big to forgive, you are weak, etc. These lies are the unclean spirit’s attempt to throw us off and get a foothold of authority in our lives. Unfortunately, demons are constantly chattering at us, often times unbeknownst to us. They vie for our attention, pull our focus, and try to get us to worship false idols. They manifest in subtle ways that coax us into sin and they are particularly fond of those of us that love the Lord. Today Jesus gives us all we need to rid them from our lives, “Be quiet, and come out!” (In the Name of Jesus) We can even shorten it, “Shhhhh, Jesus says get out!” The Name of Jesus is the most powerful agent of peace that we can use. Saying His Name gives us power over darkness, so say it often, and with conviction. When anxiety, fear, shame, lust, laziness, greed, pride, etc. enter the scene, say, “Shhhhh, Jesus says get out!” Hush these agents of sin immediately with the Name of Jesus.
The Name of Jesus is the calming of the storm, the usher of peace, the threshold to eternity, the instantaneous light in the darkness, the harmony in the song, the salve on our wounds, the quiet in the noise, the rest in the laboring, the quenching in our thirst, the beauty in our seeing, the Word when we have none. When the things of this world, pull us away, remember…”Shhhh, Jesus says get out!” and they will be silenced. To guard against the things of this world proactively…simply say the Name of Jesus and they won’t even have a chance. Have a power in Christ Jesus day and it is well with my soul.
Reading 1 HEB 2:5-12
It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come,
of which we are speaking.
Instead, someone has testified somewhere:
What is man that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor,
subjecting all things under his feet.
In "subjecting" all things to him,
he left nothing not "subject to him."
Yet at present we do not see "all things subject to him,"
but we do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor"
because he suffered death,
he who "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels,"
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates
and those who are being consecrated all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them "brothers" saying:
I will proclaim your name to my brethren,
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.
of which we are speaking.
Instead, someone has testified somewhere:
What is man that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor,
subjecting all things under his feet.
In "subjecting" all things to him,
he left nothing not "subject to him."
Yet at present we do not see "all things subject to him,"
but we do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor"
because he suffered death,
he who "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels,"
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates
and those who are being consecrated all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them "brothers" saying:
I will proclaim your name to my brethren,
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.
Responsorial Psalm PS 8:2AB AND 5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (see 7) You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
Alleluia SEE 1 THES 2:13
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MK 1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
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.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "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, "Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
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.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "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, "Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
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