Lessons from the Liturgy: The Authority of the Almighty

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Among several wonderful and applicable themes to be recognized during the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, one rises to prominence above all the others.  It is a theme that is clearly articulated throughout Salvation and Church History.  Yet, it is a theme that is overlooked, or even shunned, by modern humans.  Authority is the name by which it is known.

The alternative Opening Prayer for this Sunday's Mass reminds worshipers: "from the days of Abraham and Moses...you [God] have formed a people in the image of your Son."  Such a statement implies authority of the former over the people who has been formed.  It is much like the authority had by a teacher over her classroom because she has formed it; like the authority of the owner over a corporation because he has built it through his own effort.  The Almighty has great authority over mankind because He has created and nurtured it.  And, because of His great creation and deeds, we must submit to His authority and offer to "serve you with our every desire and show love for one another...."

The First Reading, from the Book of Deuteronomy, builds upon the theme of authority.  Moses, while he was still the leader of the Israelites, brought to them a message from God.  Without equivocation, the Lord announced that He would raise up a prophet from the bloodline of Israel, and the Lord's words would be in his mouth.  Remember, the Lord's Word, His command, has authority over all of humanity.  The logical conclusion, then, is that the prophet will be vested with God's ultimate authority.  In fact, God's warning to the Israelites, through Moses, was that the people would have to answer for ignoring the words of the prophet.

Rather, God's Chosen People, were called by the Psalmist to "bow down in worship," to "kneel before the Lord who made us."  Indeed, church-goers, are to recall that "he is our God, and we the people he shepherds" (Psalm 95:6-7).  Does not a shepherd have authority over his sheep?  Is he not charged with protecting them and making the best decisions for them?  Such is the authority, indeed the responsibility, that God has set for Himself over us.

Finally, we are allowed to know Whom this prophet is!  Even St. John the Baptist, the final prophet of the Old Covenant, knew that he was not the prophet promised by the Lord through Moses (see John 1:21).  No, the prophet promised long before was, in reality, the Very Word of God, the Messiah, the Christ.

We learn from the Gospel reading that when the Word was made Flesh, He chose to reveal God's message through teaching: "Jesus entered the synagogue and taught" (Mark 1:21); and His teaching was not the same-old, same-old that was taught by the scribes, "for he taught them as one having authority" (Mark 1:22).  The teaching of Christ, that "new teaching with authority" (Mark 1:27), was exercised and made effective because Christ is the One in Whom God has vested His ultimate Authority.

As people created by Truth, we are naturally inclined to submit ourselves to Truth; to allow Truth to have authority over us.  The very essence of human beings is to allow benevolent and just authority to reign over them.  Thus, when Truth is proclaimed, hearts are moved to submit.  When the teaching of Christ is perpetuated and proclaimed by the Catholic Church, grace is available and people change their lives.

It is amazing that faithful Catholics have regular opportunities to experience such authority in their lives, and that they submit themselves to the Divine Will.  Some of those opportunities are very subtle, but others are very obvious.  For example, there are daily opportunities to accept the beautiful teaching of the Church, to live it uncompromisingly, and to proclaim it to personal acquaintances.  Another example, even greater than the first, is the opportunity to submit one's self, body, mind, and soul, by receiving the Blessed Eucharist each week.  In those simple, yet profound, actions, Catholics (sometimes audibly) say, "I want to do the will of God; I submit to Him!"  What a beautiful thing it is to fall prostrate (figuratively or literally) before Perfection!

Finally, this counter-cultural ideal of submission to authority leads to many unexpected blessings.  Since God's plan includes submission to His authority, which is the same as Christ's and the Church's authority, He rewards those who follow that plan.  Those great blessings, it is clear, happen to be the opposite of the curse that was promised by the Lord, through Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy.  Thus, we must always seek opportunities to humble ourselves before God's truly just and benevolent authority.  No other path will lead to a life of fulfillment.

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