Homily: Tuesday of 22nd Week in OT 2015 - "with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits"

In light of yesterday’s Gospel reading, today’s passage, which immediately follows in Luke’s Gospel, contains a sense of irony.  Yesterday, Jesus stood in the midst of his own townsmen of Nazareth, he spoke with great authority in the synagogue, but the Nazarenes did not recognize his true identity.

After leaving Nazareth, the Lord traveled to Capernaum.  And though his townsfolk did not recognize Jesus as God’s Anointed, the unclean spirit possessing a man in the Capernaum synagogue recognized Jesus’ identity immediately.

“Have you come to destroy us?” the demon asked.  Had Jesus come to destroy Satan and Satan’s kingdom?  Absolutely!  So Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man it had been possessing, and it did. And those assembled recognized the power and authority with which Jesus cast out the demon. 

Jesus spoke with authority, he taught with authority, he performed miracles with authority that astonished people.  Jesus had the authority to do these things,  for he is the incarnate author of creation. He commanded the demons by his divine power, which the demons couldn’t resist.

However, when Jesus teaches us, commanding us to follow his word, we are not compelled in the same way as the demons.  Jesus leaves us free to follow or not, to obey or not.  Jesus wants followers who follow Him freely, out of faith, hope, and love.  What is required of us is the obedience of faith with which our Blessed Mother so perfectly exhibited. 

St. John Paul II wrote, “faith found perfect realization in Mary…Indeed, at the Annunciation, Mary entrusted herself to God completely, with the "full submission of intellect and will," manifesting "the obedience of faith" to him who spoke to her through his messenger…her response of faith included both perfect cooperation with "the grace of God…" and perfect openness to the action of the Holy Spirit…Hers is an “obedience of faith” displayed through the whole of her pilgrimage.  It is through obedience that she cooperates with the will of God.

We are called to recognize Jesus teaching as the path to holiness, the path to heaven, for each of us, but again as St. James said this weekend, to not just be hearers of the word, but doers of the word.  We do well to ask ourselves today, what parts of my life have a failed to submit to God? What part of my intellect, my will, my free time? Which of my friendships, my social relationships, which of my hobbies, habits. In what areas of my life do I fail to trust God?  If we are honest, we might detect with the Holy Spirit’s help areas of our life which are still under the sway of Satan’s power.  Spend a few minutes today reflecting on the areas of your life and how God is calling you to deeper obedience of faith and cooperation with God’s will. And today hand your whole heart, mind, and will, over to the authority of Jesus for the glory of God and salvation of souls.