First reading Ecclesiasticus 51:17-27
Glory be to him who has given me wisdom
I will thank you and praise you,
and bless the name of the Lord.
When I was still a youth, before I went travelling,
in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom.
Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her,
and to the last I will continue to seek her.
From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape
my heart has taken its delight in her.
My foot has pursued a straight path,
I have been following her steps ever since my youth.
By bowing my ear a little I have received her,
and have found much instruction.
Thanks to her I have advanced;
the glory be to him who has given me wisdom!
For I am determined to put her into practice,
I have earnestly pursued what is good, I will not be put to shame.
My soul has fought to possess her,
I have been scrupulous in keeping the Law;
I have stretched out my hands to heaven
and bewailed my ignorance of her;
I have directed my soul towards her,
and in purity have found her.
Responsorial Psalm 18(19):8-11
The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.
They are more to be desired than gold,
than the purest of gold
and sweeter are they than honey,
than honey from the comb.
Gospel Mark 11:27-33
I will not tell you my authority for acting like this
Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ And they argued it out this way among themselves: ‘If we say from heaven, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ – they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
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The question of authority
In today’s gospel, the Jewish religious leaders wanted to discredit Him and protect their status and so, they asked about His credentials. They wanted to know who gave Him the authority to do what He did. By their question, they were revealing the desire of their hearts. Everything came down to authority, rights and power. They wanted to protect their power so that they could continue seeking their own interest instead of those of God’s.
On the other hand, Jesus was neither interested in having such worldly power nor was He gaining approval from others and protecting His status. He knew that His authority came from God the Father (John 13:3) and thus, He freely lived out His authentic authority by loving and serving the people because He knew that this was what God wanted from Him. Today, let us be true disciples of Jesus by living with authenticity and freedom. In our family, faith community and workplace, let us not focus on our own self-interest but exercise our authority to work for the best of others. May we never lose sight of God!
Reflective question:
How do I exercise my authority in my family, parish community, workplace, etc?
How do I exercise my authority in my family, parish community, workplace, etc?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
