Are you exercising your authority correctly?

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

The Gospel today (Matthew 21:23-27) describes the conflict that Jesus had with the religious authority of the time, after that He drove out the merchants from the Temple. The priests and the elders of the people wanted to know with which authority Jesus was doing those things: to go into the Temple and drive out the merchants (cf. Mt

21:12-13

). The authority considered itself the master of all and thought that nobody could do anything without their permission.

We learn in this Gospel that some people ask questions because they do not want to learn. Let me repeat that: Some ask questions because they do not want to learn, and this is what we see in our text for today. We know that both John’s and Jesus’s authority was from heaven. It seems so obvious to us. How could those leaders be so blind? But people are still asking those two questions today. And they don’t like either answer.

In Jesus’ world, as in ours, people looked for the outward sign of authority—education, title, position, connections. But Jesus’ authority came from who he was, not from any outward and superficial trappings. As followers of Christ, God has given us authority—we can confidently speak and act on his behalf because he has authorized us. Are you exercising your authority? 

The description of the conflict of Jesus with the authority of His time was a help for the Christians, so that they could continue fearless in the persecutions and would not allow themselves to be manipulated by the ideology of the Empire. Today, also, some who exercise power, whether in society or in the Church and the family, want to control everything as if they were the masters of all the aspects of the life of the people. They even persecuted those who thought in a different way.

One of the most dangerous doubts that we can have about ourselves is the need for official recognition or title before we act. Although God has gifted certain individuals with particular gifts and expects His church to have certain officers responsible for certain tasks, He expects all of us to be about the work of Church/Community. There are powers and responsibilities that we equally share as citizens of the Church/Community.

Jesus commanded with both power and authority. He delegates believers to minister in His authority. As we follow His directives, all of the power of heaven works through us.

Have you ever felt that you are being controlled without any right, by the leaders of the Church? What was your reaction?

Blessings,

Padre Luis+