St. Dominic Catholic Church

Homilies

1/28/2018 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

I read in the news last weekend about a group of people who argue that the earth is flat.

They sound like something from an episode of the X-files.

It is useless in arguing with them about the shape of the earth, because, like agent Mulder, they share a postmodern assumption: Trust no one.

Flat earth proponents say, “trust your senses”, and if your senses tell you the earth is flat, then it must be, no matter what pictures from NASA suggest.

 

Many people argue we should “think for ourselves”, and we should think – God gave us an intellect.’;”

But at the same time, we should be humble enough to admit that we don’t know everything, and have to rely on others to help us understand our world.

Nor should ignore the way we are influenced and formed by the messages we receive through media and social media, entertainment, education, and conversations.

No one really “trusts no one”.

The new member of the Flat Earth society trusts the person who told him to “trust his own senses” instead of the authoritative voices of astronomers and mathematicians who, for 2500 years, have demonstrated the earth is round.

 

Jesus spoke as one having authority, even though officially he had none.

The scribes, who officially had authority to teach, lacked authority.

This points out an interesting reality about authority.

Ultimately, authority means nothing without the trust – or at least respect - of those over whom one has authority.

Jesus taught as one having the right to teach, which astonished his listeners.

They trusted him, despite his lack of credentials, because he told them only the truth.

So they began calling him, “Rabbi”, and sat at his feet as disciples of a master.

Our word authority comes from the Latin root for “leader” or “master”.

Our postmodern society encourages each one of us to be his or her own authority – to be your own master.

This is the same temptation we heard at the dawn of life in the garden: “eat this, and you will be like gods who know” good from bad.

In other words, “you won’t need an authority like God to tell you what is right and wrong, you can decide for yourself.”

Which is another way of saying, “trust no one.”

But, of course, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because they chose to trust the serpent rather than God.

 

The deep etymological roots of the word, authority signify “one who causes to grow.”

This is what the crowds experienced in Jesus – an invitation to grow: to grow beyond their self-centeredness and egotism.

But that growth depended upon putting their trust in Jesus, and giving him an authority over their lives.

 

So the question today is, “who has authority in your life?”

The Christian view is that our personal growth and happiness comes from a living relationship with God and His grace.

The Father desires we become the unique, gifted and blessed individual whom He has created us to be, and in our fallen nature we absolutely require His help.

He is the authority who causes us to grow rightly.

To whom have you and I given authority?

How much of my thought and behavior is influenced by government authority or the political party of my choice?

Abortion, physician assisted suicide and smoking pot are legal, but that does not mean that those behaviors are good.

Social pressure can shape my behavior.

If I believe all my business competitors are cutting salaries and doing away with retirement plans, do I do the same to succeed?

The authority of peers is especially is supercharged by social media.

The opinions of others are streamed to us 24/7, overriding other influences like parents, Church and self-reflection.

 

To be a Christian is to say, “Jesus is Lord.”

But it is not enough to say that, He has to actually be the authority in our life.

Jesus says in Mt 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Only if we allow his grace and teaching to transform our lives will we enter the kingdom of God.

In the gospel today Jesus’s authority expels a demon from a man.

Notice the demon speaks in the plural, “Have you come to destroy us?”

If we trust Jesus and give Him authority over our lives, Jesus will destroy the different authoritative voices that pull is in so many different directions.

This is why our parish has invested in the online service called FORMED.

I want to make it easier for you to hear the authoritative voice of Jesus speaking through His Church.

I hope you will use FORMED to enrich your marriages, your prayer, your understanding of scripture, and of how to follow Jesus.

I hope you and your family will watch inspiring movies together, and have conversations about Jesus, our Mother, Mary, and the deep questions of life.

I hope the loving authority of Jesus transforms your lives for the better.