He spoke as one
having authority
It is one thing to have power. To have authority is quite another
matter.
In his Gospel, Mark the evangelist shows us how Jesus is invested with
the power of the Spirit at his baptism and thus acts with authority.
The power that moves Jesus has its source in God. The authority that
Jesus displays, both in his actions and in his words, is the authority
of God Himself. When Jesus begins teaching, the people are deeply
impressed. They can see for themselves the difference between how Jesus
teaches and how the religious leaders teach.
When Jesus teaches, something actually happens. Jesus’ teaching creates
an impression because people can see the change for good that it
effects in the broken, the crippled and the dispossessed. When Jesus
teaches, he shares not only his wisdom but his power. Jesus’ actions
are his principal teachings. That is his unique authority. He uses his
power to liberate people from the evil forces that dominate their lives.
And when others see what he is doing with his teaching, they begin to
wonder who this Jesus really is. The important point is that Jesus
stays committed to using his power for good. He exercises his authority
to liberate those who are bound up and to confront those who lay heavy
burdens on the weak. Applause or no applause, Jesus struggles on.
People acting only out of power with no inner authority can be
recognized by their aggressive domination, by their putting down of
others with force, by their revenge and lack of love. They may be, as
St. Paul says, “noisy gongs and clanging cymbals without a ring of
authority and may have little interest in the growth of the other.
Anyone with real authority will be recognized by a deep respect for the
person and for the freedom of the other. There will be no discrediting
or devaluing of the other, but rather, an acceptance of him or her. If
we speak with authority, we will show it through a sense of
responsibility.
We will feel accountable to God, to the world, to the community,
organization or family. We will live with the moral integrity and sense
of values that characterize a person with inner authority.
Jesus himself showed an insider’s knowledge of the Father and of divine
truths with which he challenged his audience to listen to him.
Finally, like Jesus, our authority is also shown by the quality of our
service. We show our readiness to put our shoulder to the wheel, not
just big talk, but big deeds as well. We implement what we talk about
because this is of value to us.
There are people in the world who use power, arm-twisting, manipulation
and force to rob others of their dignity. When, on the contrary, we
address others with authority, when we speak and act with credibility
and conviction, with respect and a sense of responsibility, with
knowledge and a spirit of service, then we give people back their
dignity. We thus empower them in a new way, just as Jesus did.
