28/01/2024

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus, “taught with authority”.

The word authority made me think. “Authority” derives from the Latin auctoritas, from augere (to grow, increase): the auctor is a person who “increases confidence”.

Jesus had no coercive power. He had no weapon – though once he did make a whip out of some cords. He had not been given any legal authority. He had, what we would call charismatic authority.

He knew what he was talking about. He was worth respect. That came across intuitively to his audiences. What he taught was - as love, because he was full of love  - uplifting.

Jesus lived what he taught. That gave him the essential characteristic of inspiring leadership.

He revealed the possibility of everyone, no matter how socially lowly, to live in God's Kingdom, realising they were a child of God. My radical identity is a ‘child of God’. A Czech-Brutish priest is secondary.

Think, The Lord's Prayer: "Our Father who art in heaven." Jesus taught that everyone was by God seen as a child of God.

Everyone could live the Two Great Commandments. You did not need to be rich or powerful or from an aristocratic family. Everyone could love their neighbour as themselves and love God with all their heart.

I strive to see God in each one of you and thus - respecting your divine dimension - keep my homilies short and uplifting.