Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay giúp chúng ta nhận ra bàn chất con người thực sự của Chúa Giêsu, và qua đó chúng ta có thể hiểu rõ được sứ mệnh của Ngài. Những lời giảng dạy của Chúa Giêsu đã làm mọi người trong hội đường vô cùng kinh ngạc Ngài dạy dỗ họ như một người có uy quyền của Chúa Thánh Thần, vì họ chưa bao giờ có thể được nghe những lời của Thiên Chúa như thế này.
Tuy nhiên, Chúa Giêsu cũng khiêm tốn khi Ngài đã bắt thần ô uế phải im lặng không được tuyên rao Ngài là Đấng Thánh của Thiên Chúa. Ngài đến là để loan truyền và đưa con người hướng về Thiên Chúa. Đối với Chúa Giêsu, Nước Thiên Chúa sẽ chỉ được hiện thực nếu tất cả mọi người biết thống hối, ăn năn và biển đổi cuộc sống và biết trở về với Chúa Kitô.
Nếu chúng ta biến biến đổi đời sống cá nhân của chúng ta hôm nay để trở về với Thiên Chúa, Chúa Kitô sẽ ban cho chúng ta quyền phép để đánh bại Satan. Như Chúa Giêsu đã nói, "Ví bằng Ta nhờ Thần khí Thiên Chúa mà trừ quỉ, thì quả là Nước Thiên Chúa đã đến trên các ngươi.". (Mt 12: 28)
Lạy Chúa, lời Chúa là sức mạnh và là cuộc sống của chúng con. Xin giúp chúng con đừng bao giờ nghi ngờ tình yêu cứu rỗi và lòng thương xót của Chúa, Xin vì sức mạnh của Lời của Chúa mang lại ơn chữa lành và giải thoát cho chúng con và những người cần đến lòng thương xót Chúa.
Today's gospel is for us to recognize the true person of Jesus, and thereby understand His mission. Jesus' teaching astounded the multitude in the synagogue. He taught with authority. He spoke the word of God as no one had spoken it before. By His words, He had authority even over demons. No wonder the crowd reacted with amazement and wonder but not with recognition. They are amazed by His actions, but they don't recognize who He is. They are intrigued by His words, but they do not know from where the authority comes. But Jesus was authority incarnate - the Word of God made flesh. When He spoke, God spoke. When He commanded even the demons obeyed.
However, Jesus was also guarding against the dangerous possibility that He would be recognized as a political Messiah. Jesus had to silence the unclean spirit for proclaiming Him as the Holy One of God for fear that people would seek Him as a political leader who would deliver them from the oppressive foreign forces occupying Palestine. This mistaken view would jeopardize His mission, which was to inaugurate the kingdom of God. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God would only become a reality if sinners would repent and convert themselves to Christ. Undergoing personal conversion to Christ would allow them to defeat Satan. As Jesus would say, "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Mt 12: 28).
"Lord, your word is power and life. May I never doubt you’re saving love and mercy, and the power of your word to bring healing and deliverance to those in need?"
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” Mark 1:23–25
There were numerous times when Jesus directly confronted demons in the Scriptures. Each time He rebuked them and exercised His authority over them. The passage above illustrates one such case.
The fact that the devil shows himself over and over in the Gospels tells us that the evil one is real and needs to be dealt with appropriately. And the appropriate way to deal with the evil one and his fellow demons is to rebuke them with the authority of Christ Jesus Himself in a calm but definitive and authoritative way.
It’s very rare that the evil one makes himself fully manifest to us in the way that he did in the passage above to Jesus. The demon speaks directly through this man, which indicates that the man was fully possessed. And though we do not see this form of manifestation often, it doesn’t mean that the evil one is any less active today. Instead, it shows that the authority of Christ is not being exercised by the Christian faithful to the extent that is necessary to combat the evil one. Instead, we often cower in the face of evil and fail to confidently and charitably stand our ground with Christ.
Why did this demon manifest himself in such a visible way? Because this demon was directly confronted with the authority of Jesus. The devil usually prefers to remain hidden and deceptive, presenting himself as an angel of light so that his evil ways are not known clearly. Those whom he controls often do not even know how much they are influenced by the evil one. But when the evil one is confronted with the pure presence of Christ, with the Truth of the Gospel that sets us free, and with Jesus’ authority, this confrontation often forces the evil one to react by manifesting his evil.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that the evil one is constantly at work all around us. Consider the people and circumstances in your life where the pure and holy Truth of God is attacked and rejected. It is in those situations, more than any other, that Jesus wants to bestow upon you His divine authority to confront evil, rebuke it and take authority over it. This is primarily done through prayer and deep trust in the power of God. Don’t be afraid to allow God to use you to confront the activity of the evil one in this world.
Lord, give me courage and wisdom when I face the activity of the evil one in this world. Give me wisdom to discern his hand at work and give me courage to confront and rebuke him with Your love and authority. May Your authority be alive in my life, Lord Jesus, and may I daily become a better instrument of the coming of Your Kingdom as I confront the evil present in this world. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. Jesus Taught in the Synagogue: In the Gospel, Mark draws attention to how Jesus went about his ministry in Galilee. Jesus’ custom was to teach in the local synagogues, especially on the Sabbath, when the community gathered to hear the word of God. When Jesus preached, the people realized that the authority of his teaching was superior to that of the scribes. The teachings of the scribes were ineffective at loosening the grip of sin and evil on the human heart. Jesus’ word and teaching have an awesome purifying and healing divine power. They cast out darkness and evil. Jesus’ word is like seed that falls on both good and poor soil (Mark 4:1-20). The Word, sown by God and welcomed into human hearts, can produce abundant and supernatural fruit. The temptations and deceptions of the unclean spirits, who are fallen angels, cannot produce good fruit. Rather, these demons are like birds who take away the seed of God’s Word that falls on hardened and stubborn hearts (Mark 4:4, 15).
1. The Reversal of Fortunes: One of the overarching themes of the First and Second Books of Samuel is found in Hannah’s song. She proclaims the “reversal of fortunes” and the way God casts down the proud and exalts the humble. The Book of Samuel will tell us about the downfall of Eli the priest and the rise of Samuel the prophet. As well, we will hear about the downfall of King Saul and the rise of King David.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, I trust that you guide all things and direct the course of human history. At times, it can seem that evil has the upper hand. I know that you will humble the proud and exalt the poor and humble. Help me today to be among the poor exalted to your right hand in glory.
Resolution: When was the last time we broke out in prayerful song in gratitude like Hannah for the great things that God has done in our lives? Although our lives may be marked more by suffering, trial, and failure, we have so much to be grateful for, especially the gift of existence and life. God did not need to create us or call us to eternal life. And yet, in a plan of sheer goodness, that is what he did. And when we failed, God did not abandon us but sent his Son to redeem and save us and offer us the gift of divine life. Forever, we should sing the goodness of the Lord and exult in the Lord our Savior!
Opening Prayer: Lord, your authority rings out through the ages. May I seek you with true humility each day as I encounter you in your word. May I cling to you when the enemy of my soul agitates me with thoughts and anxieties that do not come from you. I give you thanks for your word, which brings me comfort. May your grace remain with me and with all who are dear to me.
1. The Author Has Authority: The scribes were learned men who lectured the people with informed opinions on Scripture. The people were accustomed to seeing the scribes as leaders and authorities. Their teachings were revered. Suddenly, this young preacher Jesus was talking authoritatively about Scripture. His teaching was like nothing they had ever heard, infused with his divine knowledge and wisdom. The listeners began to understand things differently because the author of the word, God himself, was teaching, and his authority was unmistakable. “Let us therefore yield ourselves and bow to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, which can neither err nor deceive” (St. Augustine).
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