Sunday, January 28, 2024
In today’s first reading and Gospel reading we read about Moses and Jesus, two men that brought messages from God to the people of the covenant. The people recognized that Moses and Jesus were speaking with authority and they followed them. They heard the word of God and followed Moses for forty years as he led them out of slavery in Egypt and towards the promised land. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Moses prophesied the arrival of Jesus as a prophet and said that He is the one to whom they shall listen. In the Gospel reading, Jesus who made His base in Capernaum, a city in Galilee, came on the sabbath to preach at the synagogue. We read that the people were “astonished at His teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” (Mark 1:22). Scribes were literate scholars who studied and interpreted God’s law and spoke to the people in synagogues. They wrote commentaries and drafted legal documents. While Jesus quoted scriptures like the Scribes did, He also spoke on His own authority and that astonished people in the synagogue. For Jesus came to save humanity from the wages of sin and established His Kingdom as a new covenant with it, the Church.
A few days ago, I received a text message from my sister: “Have you heard or watched of the series, The Chosen? It is excellent. Some scenes can bring you to tears. I’m now watching the documentary about the actor who plays Jesus. That’s pretty good too.” The text message, edited down with some grammatical and spelling corrections that are often sacrificed in texting, shows how we often get enthusiastic about new things that move us. We crave learning more and strive to read and see everything related. We then share our joy and excitement with others and hope that their excitement and enthusiasm will match ours. God’s truth excites and astonishes because it is truth and life. We want to share the joy of our new life in Christ with the world. We want to tell the world how God’s grace working in lives will transform theirs. By hearing, reading and reflecting on the word of God, and by praying, we get to Know Him, hear His message, and receive guidance through His Spirit. People will see the difference God’s grace makes in our own lives. Different from the chaos, violence, greed, selfishness, lust and hopelessness of this world. We take part in bringing our faith and Church traditions and beliefs to the world. Traditions and beliefs that were carried down from the time of Jesus to the present day.
If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. In today’s Responsorial Psalm, the Psalmist invites us to come into God’s presence with thanksgiving, to kneel before Him in worship, to sing joyfully to Him, and to acclaim the rock of our salvation. Let us pray to our God for His grace and gifts that will make us good disciples and purveyors of His truths. Let us listen lovingly and attentively to those around us and pray that when we speak, we speak with kindness, clarity and purpose so we can lead others to a life in Christ.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.