💖 HOMILY - SEPTEMBER 5 💖

First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Gospel - Luke 4:31-37

All may have watched movies of superheroes. Their power and authority seem to fascinate us and at times stir up our fantasy for such power and authority. They remain a fantasy without any ray of realization. The readings of the day invite us to reflect upon our superhero, Jesus, who invites us to participate in his glory and power, thus this does not remain mere fantasy for us but real and actual part of our lives.

The first reading continues with the instructions of Paul on the second coming of Jesus. The instructions have two segments; first segment lays emphasis on being always ready for the second coming of Jesus which is unprecedented (Paul makes a comparison of the coming of Jesus with the coming of thief). The second segment contains the exhortation for the Christians in Thessalonika to encourage one another to remain prepared for the second coming of Christ. St. Paul also underlines that the main purpose of the coming of Jesus is to win salvation in Him or participation in his glory and authority.

The gospel of the day takes us forward to the incident after the sad experience of Jesus with fellow-townsmen in Nazareth. Jesus thereafter made the city of Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the center of the fishing business a base for a Messianic preaching and healing mission. The people were impressed by the authority with which Jesus taught. The Old Testament prophets had taught using God’s delegated authority, and the scribes and Pharisees taught quoting Moses, the prophets and the great rabbis. But Jesus taught using His own authority and knowledge as God. Perfect knowledge of God, His Father, perfect obedience to God His Father’s will, and absolute confidence in God, His Father, were the sources of Jesus’ authority. The second part of today’s Gospel describes a healing by exorcism, which Jesus performed in the synagogue. We are told how, using His authority as God, cast out the devil by just one command: “Be silent, and come out of him!” The demon obeyed at once, throwing the man it had possessed to the floor in the midst of the people in the synagogue on its departure. The people were impressed with Jesus’ power and authority that could command even evil spirits.

My dear friends, the authority of Jesus is his own and not delegated nor temporary. The authority of Jesus shows his divine life, that's why the man possessed with demon called out to him "The Holy One of God". This title testifies the divinity of Jesus. We also believe in the same Jesus who is "The Holy One of God" and he invites us to be the part of his glory in him.

Our Faith is based on the Divinity of Christ, demonstrated by Jesus’ miracles, which in turn give authority and validity to Jesus’ teaching and promises. Hence, let us accept Jesus’ teachings, even if some of them are mysteries beyond our understanding. The authority of Jesus also strikes out in the Scriptures and the Sacraments so let us read the authoritative word of God every day and assimilate it into our lives and avail ourselves of the Sacraments of the Church for our spiritual benefits.