Tony Kayala, c.s.c.:
Zeal: The components for right motivation, they say, are
a) Passion (zeal, intensity, enthusiasm),
b) Direction (remember even the terrorists and ISIS have passion, but not the right direction. St. Paul had a great passion as a persecutor until the Damascus experience)
c) Perseverance (persistence, never give up. Abraham Lincoln faced every sort of setback, adversity and failure from 1832 to 1856 but was elected President in 1860)
Zeal without direction can be due to excessive emotional or ideological or childhood issues. That's where some inner exorcisms are required to cleanse our inner world of many demons that direct our paths and ways and styles. To have the right authority directed by the Lord and his word, one has to constantly check one's motives for action or preaching.
So such a teacher with authority will teach and act with zeal /passion and people will sit up and take notice. What the world lacks are convinced preachers and teachers who live the gospel as they preach it.
******************
Halford Lucock says, "I was impressed several years ago when I read the Eugene Ormandy dislocated a shoulder while directing the Philadelphia Orchestra. I do not know what they were playing, but he was giving all of himself to it! And I have asked myself sadly, 'Did I ever dislocate anything, even a necktie?'"
Progress Magazine, December 31, 1992.
When he was pastor for the Methodist church in Scarborough, William Sangster had an eccentric member who tried to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, the man was mentally deficient and usually did the wrong thing. While working as a barber the man lathered up a customer for a shave, came at him with the poised razor, and asked, "Are you prepared to meet your God?" The frightened man fled with the lather on his face!
W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, p. 215.
“The violence of the tongue cuts and wounds people’s hearts,” he added.
Mukherjee once again objected to government enacting laws without discussion, saying that it impacts the law-making role of the parliament and breaches the trust reposed in it by the people.
“This is neither good for the democracy nor for the policies relating to those laws."
Michel DeVerteuil
General Comments
As we go on with our continuous reading of St Mark’s gospel, we find Jesus in Galilee where he starts his public ministry.
This passage is in three parts:
– verses 21-22: a summary of the teaching of Jesus in the synagogue;
– verses 23 to 27: an example of his ministry of driving out unclean spirits;
– verse 28: the effect of Jesus’ ministry.
In the first section, the emphasis is on the contrast between Jesus and the scribes. Here the scribes are symbolical of those who are content to record the teachings of others; Jesus speaks with personal authority.
In verse 28 St Mark evokes, as he often does in his gospel, the spread of Jesus’ reputation. Ask yourself how the passage if being fulfilled today, of the church or of any great movement.
Prayer Reflections
Lord, when we look back on our lives
we realize that most of those who gave us moral teachings spoke platitudes.
They were scribes recording what others had said.
But we thank you that from time to time
you sent us someone like Jesus who spoke from their own experience,
and shared honestly what they were feeling;
these made a deep impression on us,
because unlike scribes they spoke with authority.
“When the church concerns herself with the development of peoples, she cannot be accused of going outside her own specific field of competence, and still less outside the mandate received from the Lord.” ...Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
Lord, when the church confines herself
to going to the synagogue and teaching,
concerning herself with what is internal to her, many are happy –
they rejoice that she is making a deep impression on them.
But your will is that we should go furtherand cast out the demons of our society –
racism, class conflicts, discrimination against the disadvantaged.
When the church does this there are convulsions and loud cries.
We thank you that in many countries
the church has persevered in following Jesus,
and people have been astonished and questioned themselves,
and her reputation has spread
as one who gives orders to unclean spirits and they obey her.
Lord, we remember a time when we were held in bondage by an inner force:
– we could not forgive;
– we did not want to commit ourselves because we were afraid of failure;
– ambition was clouding our vision of the truth.
Then someone began to speak, challenging us to face the truth
– one of our children, a friend, a bible passage.
We got angry, denied it vehemently, wept, complained to another.
Like the man in the gospel, we went into convulsions and cried aloud.
We realize now that it was because we knew
that the Holy One of God was with us,
he had come to do away with our sin.
Eventually, after a long struggle,
we recognized the demon for what it was,
and it went out of us.
Thank you, Lord.
“I can only reach that depth in my neighbour that I can reach in my own spirit.” …Mathew Kelly, Cistercian monk
Lord, our teaching will be new and will have authority behind it
only if we have accepted its authority within our own selves.
“Once brought into the light of mutual love, demons lose their power and quietly leave us.” …Henry Now
L
ord, we thank youfor the times when we have been able to share deeply with a friend
and something that was holding back our spiritual growth left us.
We knew that Jesus of Nazareth was with us.
Lord, prayer is a moment when we pass
from experiencing the teaching of Jesus as something vague
to knowing that it has authority behind it,
it gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey it.
Lord, a movement will spread
only of it moves from teaching in a closed room
to casting out the unclean spirits which are oppressing society.
********************************************************
Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
In today’s gospel we hear of the reactions of people on encountering Jesus when they were gathered as a community: they encountered him as a brother, as a unique teacher, and as the Holy One of God. In our gathering today we are encountering him as our brother, our teacher, and the Holy One of God who is calling us together to share his supper.
Homily Notes
1. Hearing the story about the possessed man brings a shiver to some of us, and a wry smile for others. For some, it is the tingly fringe of religion, an unsettling fear, and brings to mind films about possession or exorcism. This is where faith meets the eerie and the weird. For others, this is part of the historical dross that comes with Christianity having arisen before the modern psychiatry: it is just one more bit that needs to be dumped. For most people in an average congregation it will just be an item that does not seem important one way or the other: another bit of religion that just slips over us.
2. It is probably worthwhile acknowledging this range of reactions in the congregation. All too often people imagine that they, as individuals, are the only ones who have such reactions to the readings, and imagine that for the priest there are no such problems. This suspicion then breeds a form of alienation that makes people feel that they ‘deep down’ do not belong in the gathering.
3. So what can we learn from this passage despite our reactions to the exorcism? The whole passage is in the gospel to help a small group of Christians in the latter half of the first century to understand who Jesus is whom they are confessing to be ‘The Holy One of God.’ We can take ‘Holy One of God,’ the ‘Anointed One,’ and ‘The Christ’ to be just different forms of the same reality. Mark intended his preaching to be heard by the group when they gathered for the sacred meal which united them with one another and with the risen Christ, and so our hearing this gospel today is hearing it in a more formalised version of its original setting. So what aspect of faith in Jesus did Mark want to emphasise? Here lies the key to the passage: he wanted the gatherings to have an adequate appreciation of Jesus as the Christ.
4. Note that we are concerned with an adequate – adequate for us to realise that he is the Way – not a complete understanding: such might be possible in heaven, but never on earth. All the saints can testify that after a life-long pilgrimage of faith,they are just scratching the surface in understanding the significance of the Christ.
5. Mark was concerned that people hearing about Jesus might just imagine him as another preacher – so he adds that the people who encountered him were struck by his uniqueness: he was a teacher like no other. But Mark, equally, did not want people to think of him just as the greatest teacher: Jesus having come among us does the Father’s will, he liberates people from their demons, and he brings new life. But Mark, yet again, does not want Jesus just seen as a wonder-worker, a magician, so people must keep all these insights and try to understand them at the foot of the Cross. Only when we follow the teacher, the liberator, the one who suffered, and the one who rose from the dead do we start to imagine the mystery of the Holy One of God.6. Getting some grasp of who we encounter in Jesus the Christ is the work of a lifetime. Sadly, many people think they know all about him. Our reflections here do not tell us who Jesus is; they merely attune us to being aware of the Holy One who encounters us in our loves, our trials, our fears, our talents,our demons, and right now in our gathering, our praying together, and our sharing in his banquet.
***************************************************
Sean Goan
Gospel Notes
A dominant aspect of Jesus’ work in proclaiming the good news of the kingdom in Mark is his role as a teacher and this is particularly evident in the early chapters. Here we see his teaching making a deep impression on his hearers and they respond with wonder and astonishment. In this teaching Jesus was, no doubt, speaking of God’s will for the world in terms that were easily understood by his hearers. Added to this, his action of exorcising demons can be understood as a way of indicating the triumph of good over evil and showing that now is the time to respond with faith to God’s action in the world. The prevalence of exorcisms in the gospels is not to be taken as suggesting there was more demonic possession then than now. It is more likely that these accounts reflect ancient views around a range of illnesses that are more easily diagnosed nowadays.Reflection
In this age of information technology and instant access to information and entertainment, we probably appreciate more than ever the worth of a really good teacher. It is an aspect of Jesus’ ministry that can easily be lost sight of, and that is a pity because it is more important that we understand his message than that we believe he was a miracle worker. As disciples we are challenged to continue to grow in understanding, to sit at the feet of Jesus the teacher and to take steps to make our own the wonderful good news of the kingdom. By being properly informed, we are less likely to be led astray by the whole range of ‘false prophets’ who today compete for our allegiance.
********************************************
Donal Neary SJ
The Power of Evil
Jesus was very aware of the power of evil that can be around us. Jesus named the spirit whatever that meant. This gave him power over the spirit. He knew evil when he met it and he overcame it, with love, power and with kindness for this man.
In Jesus the good and the evil of the world met.
One big evil in us is the ‘it’s mine’. We learn it from childhood. We take the plate of cakes or a packet of sweets and say “all mine”. We normally get over this but not always. We need the conversion from it’s mine to it’s ours. That’s the christian way. The environment is not ours, but for us. We have no right to kill off livelihood all over the world for our paper, our oil and our greed. Any abuse of people is the ‘you are mine’ syndrome. Nobody owns anyone in this earth and we belong only to God in a free way.
Evil will never win out to the end. It has been conquered on the Cross, with love.
Somehow this man was possessed. Evil came into him and maybe it was not his fault. He left clean and whole, with a kindness in his heart he would never forget. The people were amazed not just at Jesus but at the change in the man who had been possessed.
***
From The Connections:
“Demons” are encountered several times in Mark’s Gospel. Anything that the people of Jesus’ time could not understand or explain, such as disease, mental illness or bizarre or criminal behavior, were considered the physical manifestations of the evil one – “demons” or “unclean spirits.”
Both demons and scribes are silenced in today’s Gospel. Jesus’ casting out the unclean spirit from the man possessed silences the voices of the demons that plague humanity. In his compassionate outreach to the poor and sick, Jesus “silences” the scribes by redefining the community’s understanding of authority: whereas the “authority” of the scribes’ words is based solely on their perceived status and learnedness, the authority of Jesus is born of compassion, peace and justice. The casting out of the demons and his curing of the sick who come to him are but manifestations of the power and grace of his words.
Note that the people of the Bible viewed miracles differently than we do. While we, in our high technology, scientific approach to the world, dismiss miracles as some kind of disruption or “overriding” of the laws of nature, the contemporaries of Jesus saw miracles as signs of God's immediate activity in his creation. While we ask, How could this happen? they asked. Who is responsible? Their answer was always the same: the God of all creation. Those who witnessed Jesus' healings, then, saw them as God directly touching their lives.
Jesus’ “authority” inspires rather than enforces, lifts up rather than controls; he sees his call to “lead” as a trust, as a responsibility to serve others by revealing the God who calls us to compassion and mercy for the sake of his kingdom of peace, instead of a God of judgment and vengeance. Authority comes not from power to enforce but from the ability to inspire.
The “unclean spirit” that Jesus casts out of the poor man in today’s Gospel serves as a symbol of the voice of evil that sometimes speaks within us – the voice of revenge, self-centeredness, self-righteousness, greed, anger.
We can be “possessed” by “demons” who discourage us and plague us with fear when we consider the unpopular position that we know is right and just; or the “demon” of rationalization that falsely justifies actions – or inactions – we know in our heart of hearts is contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. The compassionate Jesus of the today’s Gospel speaks to those "unclean spirits" as well, offering us the grace and courage to cast them out of our minds and hearts forever.
“You may not put down your chalk. You may not return to your desk until you have correctly solved the math problem!” bellowed Sister.
For young Ann, math was a nightmare – and this particular Sister was merciless in her attempts to make her learn. Those feelings of inadequacy followed her through college and into adulthood. Ann eventually found happiness as a wife and mother and learned to deal with her lack of self-confidence.
Some years later, Ann was visiting a Sister from her old school she had stayed in contact with. Ann was stunned to learn that her fifth-grade math teacher was also a resident at that convent. Her friend explained that Ann’s nemesis had been sent back to school, earned two doctorates, spoke five languages fluently, and taught at colleges in the United States, Mexico and Peru. She was a brilliant woman who simply could not teach children.
Ann marshaled her courage and went to the room of her fifth-grade teacher. After a long moment and silent prayer, Ann knocked on the door. Sister’s steely gaze nearly stopped Ann’s heart – but she recognized Ann and with a big smile welcomed her. Ann and the elderly nun talked about the old school and Sister spoke of her years of teaching college and how much she loved her students.
Suddenly, the nun stopped. Tears were streaming down her face. She took Ann into her arms and asked for her forgiveness. She said that Ann’s class had been her first. She had 45 students and her instructions from Mother Superior had been to maintain complete control over every student, every day, no matter what. She had no idea how to help Ann with her math block, other than to scare her. Sister said she was more afraid of Ann and the other students than they could ever have been of her.
The two women laughed and cried as both hearts began to mend.
***
Fr. Tony Kadavil:
# 2: Who would examine me? One scholar who
was a real authority in his subject was the famous George Lyman Kittredge, for
years a professor of English literature at Harvard University. Having received
his bachelor’s degree at Harvard, he showed such talent that the University
engaged him as a teacher. This was long before the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy was demanded of university faculty members or, indeed, was even a
popular degree in America. Professor Kittredge, A.B. soon became one of the
world’s most learned men in English literature. For decades, his courses on
Shakespeare were the most popular courses taught at Harvard. Every now and
then, in his later years, some of his students would ask him, “Why don’t you
study for a doctorate of philosophy? The brusque bearded old scholar always had
the same answer, “Who would examine me?” Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus had
a completely new teaching in a spirit of authority! (Mark, 1-27. Today’s
Gospel). (-Father Robert F. McNamara). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
# 3: God sends His prophets all the time: When
Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the freedom of all the slaves in the United States
on January 1, 1863, his was that of a prophet. When Lincoln’s contemporary,
Susan B. Anthony pioneered the suffrage movement that eventually led to the
passage of the 19th Amendment (1920) and gave women the right
to vote, hers was the voice of a prophet. When Pope Leo XIII delivered his
encyclical entitled On the Condition of the Working Man and called
upon Christians to attend to unjust labor laws and practices, his was the voice
of a prophet. Similarly, when Cardinal Leo-Josef Suenens of Belgium stood up at
the end of the first session of Vatican II and urged the Council to examine not
only the mystery of the Church in itself but also the Church’s
relationship to and responsibility for the world at large, his was
the voice of a prophet. Rachel Carson’s book entitled Silent Spring (1962)
was prophetic in that it summoned the world to an awareness of the dangers of
environmental pollution. When Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu drew the world’s
attention to the dangers and injustices of apartheid, his was the voice of a
prophet as were so many others in this century alone, e.g., Dorothy Day, St. Teresa
of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Teilhard
de Chardin, Leonardo Boff, Jon Sobrino and the Latin American Bishops who
raised their voices first at Medellin, Colombia (1968) and then at Puebla,
Mexico (1979) to affirm the Church as “an instrument of liberation, an agent of
social justice and a defender of the poor and the oppressed.” These prophets
tried to bring the reality of the sacred into every sphere of the human
experience. In today’s liturgical readings, we are called upon to allow the
prophetic messages of Moses, Paul, and Jesus to penetrate our consciences and
claim them for God. Moreover, we are challenged to continue to listen to the
prophets among us, and to exercise the ministry of prophecy for our contemporaries
in our words, works and manner of living. (Patricia Datchuck Sánchez). Fr. Fr.
Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
# 4: Jesus taught and acted with authority: Kenneth
L. Woodward, writing in Newsweek magazine, gives us a glimpse of what Christ’s
coming meant to the world. He writes, “Whether we like it or not, Christ’s life
radically changed human culture throughout the world . . . Before Jesus came,
the world was ruled by the ‘might makes right’ theory. But Jesus’ teaching
about humility and turning the other cheek redefined our views of human
character, of war, of masculinity. Jesus’ commitment to the poor, to women, and
to children opened the way for civil rights and equality for women. Marriages
became more equitable. In ancient Rome, it was a common practice in Roman
families to kill female babies. Sociologist Rodney Stark notes that evidence
exists that among at least 600 ancient Roman families, less than a dozen had
more than one daughter. But Christians valued the life of all people, whether
male or female, and prohibited the killing of any children.” (“2000 Years of
Jesus,” March 29, 1999, p. 55.). But the revolution is not complete. We still
live in a pre-Christian world. There is still too much hatred, too much
violence, too much debasement of human dignity. If you are comfortable in
Jesus’ presence, you simply do not see him as he really is. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
#5: “Show
him yer papers!” “There is an old story about some telephone linemen
who were busy putting up telephone poles through a farmer’s fields. The farmer
ordered them off his land, whereupon they showed him a paper giving them the
right to plant poles wherever they pleased. Not long afterward, a big and
vicious bull charged the linemen. The old farmer sat on a nearby fence and
yelled: ‘Show him yer papers, darn ye, show him yer
papers!'” To many Christians, Jesus’ authority is only a paper authority. His
word is something we study for inspiration, but we really don’t believe that
what Jesus teaches applies to our situation. For many of us, Jesus’ authority
doesn’t extend to putting a marriage or a family back together. It doesn’t mean
curing an addiction or healing a character flaw. Maybe 2,000 years ago Jesus
had authority, but not today. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6. Authority to forgive sins: A dirty, drunken wino who was passing a Catholic Church one day, noticed a sign on the door that said: “Confessions Being Heard.” Since he had not been to confession for a long time, he staggered into the church, knelt down in the confessional and began to confess his sins. Unfortunately, his breath was so foul that the priest who was hearing confessions couldn’t stand it and decided to cut things short. “Look,” he said to the wino. “Have you murdered anybody lately?” “Nope,” the wino replied. “O.K. then,” the priest told him. “I am going to say the prayer of absolution.” Slightly puzzled, the wino staggered out of the confessional and as he was walking down the steps of the church steps, saw a fellow wino who was going into the Church. “You going to confession?” The first wino asked. “Yep,” said the second wino. “Don’t waste your time,” the first wino said. “He ain’t hearing nothing today except murder cases.”
7. Whose authority? Jesus’ or your denomination’s? I was
walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to
jump off. So I ran over and said, “Stop! Don’t do it!” “Why shouldn’t I?” he
said. “Well, there’s so much to live for.” “Like what?” “Well, are you
religious?” “Yes.” “Me too! Are you Christian, Muslim, Hindu or
Buddhist?” “Christian.” “Me, too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?” “Protestant.”
“Me, too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist? ”Baptist.” “Wow, me, too! Are you
Church of God or Church of the Christ?” “Church of God!” “Me, too! Are you
original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?”
“Reformed Baptist Church of God!”
“Me, too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or
Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?” He said, “Reformed
Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!” I said, “Die, heretic,” and pushed
him off.
8. You may have heard about the preacher who asked one
elderly lady how it was with her soul. “Oh,” she replied, “the old devil has
been giving me a rough time.” Immediately her husband protested. “Now hold on,”
he said, “she’s not too easy to live with herself.”
9. The new nurse asked the psychiatric doctor, “Is that man
really sick?” “He surely is,” answered the doctor gravely. “I don’t know of a
more serious set of complications. For forty years he has suffered agonies from
imaginitis, scarecoma, apprehendicitis, and general fearosis of living!”
1) Who would deny that our century is possessed of an evil spirit? Jesus’ world was a demon-haunted world. Men and women in the ancient world believed in demons. Demons for them were intensely real. The first century world was one of pain and suffering. There was no relief from pain. It was a world of natural disasters that took a heavy toll on life. Disease, even the slightest illness, could be fatal. There was a high rate of infant mortality. Life expectancy was in the middle forties. Because they had no idea of the causes of natural disaster, calamity, or disease, the people associated them with demons. It is difficult for our modern world to realize the power and influence that demons had upon first century human life. But when it comes to evil and demons, is there that much difference between the first and twenty-first centuries? We cannot dismiss evil as a first century phenomenon. It operates as an active force in our world as well as in our souls. In one lifetime we have witnessed the Holocaust of World War II, the Jewish holocaust, genocide in Cambodia and in Jonestown, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, child abuse in America, Branch Davidians, the bombings at New York’s Twin Towers and Oklahoma City. Boko Haram and ISIS atrocities. Who would deny that our century is possessed of an evil spirit? Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) The en vogue theory: During a discussion of William
Shakespeare, a student asked the old professor about the en vogue theory that
Shakespeare did not write the plays ascribed to him. The professor growled,
“Young man, if Shakespeare did not write those plays, then they were written by
someone who lived at the same time and had the same name!” It is a sure sign of
desperation in the atheistic circles to speak of Jesus as a myth or a
“tall-tale” like Paul Bunyan or Robin Hood – to sayJohn We that Jesus, Son of
God and Son of Man did not even exist, much less conduct a ministry with Divine
power and Divine authority as described in today’s Gospel. Fr. Fr.
Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3. Athletes proclaiming the authority of God. Athletes with religious convictions are nothing new. In 1954, the Fellowship for Christian Athletes (FCA) was founded “to present to athletes and coaches, and all whom they influence, the challenge and adventure of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving him in their relationships and in the fellowship of the Church.” In a visit to the FCA’s extensive Web Site, we find many familiar names popping up: Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver Cris Carter, Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, University of Washington quarterback Brock Huard and Heisman-trophy-winner Charlie Ward. New Orleans Saints quarterback Danny Wuerffel is an active member of the FCA and a contributing writer to the FCA’s monthly publication, Sharing the Victory. Wuerffel has said: “I am a Christian who happens to be an athlete, and not vice-versa.” Courtney Chase declares, “For Christian athletes, religion is part of the game.” “Muscular Christianity” has been around since baseball-player-turned-evangelist Billy Sunday loudly refuted the idea that Jesus was a weakling, a man of sorrows, a loser. The football stadium at Notre Dame is situated next to a huge library mural known as “Touchdown Jesus.” It was big national news when Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders gave God all glory for the victories of his after the Cowboys’ 37-7 rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Professional athletes are getting saved, and sports writers are getting annoyed! There can be no doubt that the number of athletes publicly testifying to their Faith has drastically increased in the last few years. The New York Times Sports writer Jack Curry, in an April 16, 1995 interview, quotes New York Yankees Closer, John Wetteland (pitcher who would go on to close out the Atlanta Braves in the Sixth Game winning the 1996 World Series) as declaring, “I honestly try and walk with Jesus Christs every day… My relationship with Jesus Christ … is of the utmost importance to me… even more important than my relationship with my wife; I know that my wife considers her relationship with Him more important than her relationship with me. Ultimately, that’s Who I’m going to have to face Increasingly, the athletes are attributing their victories to God. Such testimonies — along with the Bible study sessions, Chapel services pre-game and post-game group prayer — have become an accepted part of the game today, bearing testimony to the authority of God in all spheres of human activities. Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus demonstrates this Divine power and authority in his teaching and healing ministry. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5) “Mister, why don’t you get off the board?” Stephen Brown tells about a man who was sitting on a board of nails, and it was hurting. A psychologist came along and said, “Sir, the reason you are hurting is rooted in a childhood trauma. You need therapy.” A sociologist then came along, saw the hurting man, and said, “You’ve got a problem, and it is obviously the result of the kind of environment in which you grew up. Hurt is from an improper environment.” An economist next came along and said, “Money is the root of all hurt. Let me help you with your portfolio.” Then a minister came along and said, “If you learn to praise the Lord in all your circumstances, you won’t hurt so much. Your spiritual life leaves something to be desired. Start reading your Bible and praying every day, and it will get better.” Finally, a little girl came along and said, “Mister, why don’t you get off the board?” [No More Mr. Nice Guy! (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986).] Some of us need to get off the tack. We need to get moving and get help. Today’s Gospel tells us how Jesus responded to a hurting man. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6) Demons are here and alive and active: Money Magazine has selected its top “Sin Stocks.” If you’re going to invest in companies that make money out of our propensity to sin, here are the top Seven Deadly Sin Stocks, the stocks that will give you the greatest return on your investment [Money Magazine (November 2002).] 1. Lust: Playboy Enterprises 2. Anger: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) 3. Avarice: Trump Hotels & Casinos 4. Sloth: La-Z-Boy 5. Envy: Allergan (AGN) Botox injections 6. Gluttony: Krispy Kreme (KKD) 7. Pride: Fair Isaac FIC) (credit rating company). All we have to do is open a Wall Street Journal, read a tabloid headline at the check-out counter, or hear five minutes of Tom Brokaw or Bill O’Reilly to know that unclean spirits still stalk the Earth. After a half-century of world-wars, cold-wars, nuclear-wars, guerilla-wars, genocidal-wars, terrorist-wars, and now WMD-wars (WMD=”Weapons of Mass Destruction”), who among us has any reason to doubt the straightforward Biblical perceptions that unclean spirits and demonic powers roam in our midst? Some of you may remember Mercury Morris, a great running back for the Miami Dolphins back in their glory days when they were winning the Super Bowls. Mercury was one of the first professional athletes be caught involved in drugs. He was arrested, tried and sent to jail. Why should such a successful athlete do such a dumb thing? Why should he throw his life away? At his trial he said, “I wanted to get away from it, but the demons wouldn’t let me.” Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
7) Tonya Harding and the demons: Look how powerfully
destructive an evil spirit like greed can be when it is let loose in human
life. Our environment is suffering from economic exploitation resulting from
greed. A passion for wealth has produced a disregard for the world of nature
and human survival. Greed can be very destructive to human life. Tonya Harding
(born November 12, 1970) was an American figure skating champion. In 1991 she
won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed second in the World Championships.
She was the second woman, and the first American woman, to complete a triple
axel jump in competition. She was surrounded by vultures who wanted a share in
the pot of gold that she might win at Lillehammer. Her mother, who had been
married seven times, stood at rink-side with a hair brush to beat her daughter
if her performance fell short of her expectations. Tonya became notorious after
her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, conspired with Shawn Eckhardt[2] and Shane Stant
to attack her skating competitor Nancy Kerrigan at a practice session during
the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The story, which captured national
attention for weeks, ended like most stories of greed. The characters
self-destructed, and the pot of gold vanished. Joseph Conrad suggests to us
that “the belief in the supernatural source of evil is not necessary. Men alone
are quite capable of every wickedness.” Jesus confronts an Evil Spirit in
today’s Gospel. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
9) It’s a sad story. We see good people addicted to alcohol, addicted to drugs, addicted to all kinds of inappropriate, often destructive behaviors, and with good reason we ask, “What got into them? Surely, they knew better. Why did they let this happen?” In Jesus’ time they might have answered it this way, “They were possessed by a demon.” How many of you, sports fans remember the name Mickey Mantle? When Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees, many fans and sports writers predicted that he would be the best ever to play the game of baseball. He demonstrated spectacular talent and athleticism from a young age. He was voted the Most Valuable Player of the American League three times, and set numerous records that still stand today. But even Mantle will admit that he never lived up to his potential. Mantle became addicted to alcohol during his second season in the big leagues. He did such a good job of hiding his problem that his coaches and teammates never suspected anything. Mantle continued to battle his addiction until he turned sixty-three when he finally went public with his secret. He went into treatment and gave up booze. Sadly, years of alcohol abuse had destroyed Mickey Mantle’s body. He died a few months later of liver cancer. His friends remember him for the dignity and Faith he demonstrated in his last days. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
10) “Would you mind delivering a parcel of homemade toffee to my son?” We are exposed to much human evil in our century. William Barclay tells of a traveler in Soviet Georgia in the days before the Second World War. She was taken to see a very humble old woman in a little cottage. The old peasant woman asked her if she were going to Moscow. The traveler said she was. “Then, “asked the woman, “would you mind delivering a parcel of homemade toffee to my son? He cannot get anything like it in Moscow.” Her son’s name was Josef Stalin, the same Stalin who is said to have murdered millions of his own people. Confronted with monsters like Stalin and Adolf Hitler who seemed in every respect normal human beings but found it possible to rationalize barbaric behavior, we feel no need to look behind every bush for demonic spirits. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
11) “24 Things About To Become Extinct In America.” There’s a book written for us list lovers called The Incredible Book of Wacky Lists by Patrick M. Reynolds (2001), where he has lists of “Plants That Eat Animals” (there are 4 of them: Venus’s flytrap, Butterwort, Sundew, Pitcher plant), “Seas Named After a Color” (Black, Red, White, Yellow Seas), 3 Tallest US Presidents (Abe Lincoln, 6’4″, LBJ, 6’3″, Thomas Jefferson, 6’2½”, now 4, with Barack Obama, 6’2″), “7 Birds That Can’t Fly” (emu, kiwi, penguin, ostrich, cassowary, rhea, Galapagos cormorant), “10 Animals with Pockets” (kangaroo, koala, opossum, sea horse, Tasmanian devil, wombat, wallaroo, bandicoot, cuscus, echidna), and “10 Knock-Knock Jokes” (enough is enough—I’ll spare you.) My new favorite list is at first glance an alarming one. It is called “24 Things About To Become Extinct In America.” Among the 24 predicted extinctions are the imminent demise of the Yellow Pages, movie rental stores, phone landlines, VCRs, Ham radio, incandescent light bulbs, cameras that use film, and the milkman. In fact, some extinctions are good. When things are no longer useful, when things do not function in a helpful way, or just aren’t sensible anymore, they should become extinct. In today’s Gospel text Jesus acted as an agent of extinction. When Jesus entered into the local synagogue in Capernaum it was time for the unclean spirit inhabiting that a person in that place to go elsewhere. The presence of Jesus, whom the unclean spirit declared to be “the Holy One of God,” left no room for the unholy attitude and actions of that demon. Go exorcize some demons this week! Make a list of things you want to go extinct in your life, and then stop feeding them: greed, jealousy, anger, hypocrisy, selfishness . . . . Change the climate in your home and in your heart. Make the climate in which you live inhospitable to hatred, a wasteland for bigotry, a desert for envy. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
12) “I want you to pray that Mary Jones will stop leading my husband into sin!” There’s a rather humorous story about a seminary professor who was lecturing one day when a hand went up from one of his students. A large pastor from the hills of West Virginia, a former pro wrestler, had a question: “I had something happen the Sunday before I come down here,” he said. “Don’t know if I handled it right or not. It was at the prayer time and so I asked the Church, ‘Do you have any special prayer needs?’ A woman raised her hand and said, ‘Yeah, I got one . . I want you to pray that Mary Jones will stop leading my husband into adultery.’” Now that’s not what you expect to happen in Church. The pastor continued: “With that Mary Jones jumped up screaming, [calling the woman a name we usually don’t use in Church] and the two of them locked in a fight, pulling and jerking each other all over the Church. Their husbands got into it too, one ramming the head of the other into the backside of the pew.” So, the pastor continued, “I pulled the two women apart and said, ‘Stop it and sit yourselves back down. Now, I’m gonna ask one more time. Are there any prayer requests, and I’m gonna see if you can do it right this time. And if you people don’t settle down and act like Christians, I’m gonna bust some heads.” They quieted down and we went on with the service. “Now Doc,” asked the West Virginia pastor, “was this what you call ‘good liturgical leadership’?” The professor mumbled something like “sounds good to me.” He was found later, however, praying in his office: “Lord, help me to be a good seminary professor.” (1) Now that story’s a little extreme, I think you will agree, but stranger things have been known to happen in Churches – not here, of course, but in some churches. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, and this man began crying out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!” Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
13) “Who’s Nobody In America” Several years ago, Derek Evans
and Dave Fulwiler of San Diego began the world’s first reverse social register.
This register is for people who couldn’t make it into Who’s Who. It is called
Who’s Nobody In America. Evans and Fulwiler say that 3,800 people have sought
places in the register since they began accepting entries. Each “nobody” is
limited to a twenty-five-word biography. Some of those biographies are
hilarious. According to these nobodies, you know you’re nobody if: “Your twin
sister dies, and they bury you instead.” “Your own reflection in the mirror
ignores you.” “You had your picture taken beside a tree and everyone admires
the tree.” One applicant claimed that the government returned his taxes
unopened. Another lamented that all of his mail was addressed to “Occupant,”
and the Post Office had returned it with the legend, “No longer at this
address.” Many of us have the feeling that our lives really don’t matter, that
we’re unnoticed and unloved. And the same was true back then. But Jesus cared
for the people. His love and concern came through in everything Jesus said and
did. And Jesus cares for us as he cared for those who came to the synagogue as
described in today’s Gospel. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
15) A demon possession: Baptist pastor Bruce McIver tells a great story about a couple named Alfred and Ernestine. Alfred and Ernestine had been visiting Bruce’s Church for quite a while, and they looked at Bruce as their pastor. That’s why they didn’t hesitate to call whenever they felt a situation warranted the presence of a “man of God.” Like the night Alfred called to say Ernestine had torn the house apart, and now she was locked in the bathroom with a gun. Alfred was afraid to go near her, but he was sure she would never hurt a pastor. So, with great fear, Bruce went to their house and calmed Ernestine down. A week later, Bruce got a call that scared him even more than the first. Alfred and Ernestine wanted to join his Church. Bruce visited them and tried to impress upon them the importance of this step, but they still felt ready to join. A few weeks after joining, Alfred and Ernestine came forward for Baptism. Ernestine was dressed in a white gown, and she radiated joy and serenity as Bruce dipped her in the water. Then Ernestine walked up the steps of the baptismal pool toward the women’s dressing room. Another woman waited at the top of the stairs to assist her. The woman gave Ernestine a towel and remarked, “Perhaps you’d like to stand here for a moment and watch your husband be baptized.” Ernestine turned to see Bruce praying over Alfred, and she shouted out from the top of the Baptismal steps, “I HOPE HE DROWNS!” [Bruce McIver, Just As Long As I’m Riding Up Front (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1995), pp. 85-89.] That is as close as most of us will come to the scene that Mark describes at the synagogue in Capernaum. We don’t really understand what the New Testament writers mean by demon possession. Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
16) Dostoevsky and the demon of gambling: The Russian
novelist, Feodor Dostoevsky is known as the “master of the human heart” on
account of his penetrating psychological insights, but he had great difficulty
mastering his own emotions. A “demon” which afflicted him was a gambling addiction.
The addiction began when Dostoevsky entered a casino and placed a bet at the
roulette wheel. He won – and it seemed like his financial troubles were over.
He did not, however, stop when he was ahead; he kept playing and wound up
losing everything. In desperation, he pawned his ring, his watch and his coat.
Then he proceeded to lose that money as well. Afterward, he felt miserable, not
just because of his losses, but because he had given into a frenzy which drove
him to act recklessly. He resolved to never gamble again. To his wife he swore
that he would quit, but that turned out to be a promise she would hear over and
over. Dostoevsky’s gambling not only plunged him into ever deeper debt, it
jeopardized his marriage and his family. This pattern continued for many years.
One day things changed. Dostoevsky had scraped together a sum equaling a few
hundred dollars. He carefully calculated what part he would risk and what part
he would save. As always, the frenzy overtook him, and he not only bet
everything, but pleaded with fellow gamblers to loan him money, offering them
some item of clothes as collateral. About nine-thirty in the evening, he
emerged from the casino, full of remorse. He decided to seek a priest to make a
confession. In the distance he saw what looked like a Russian Church. When he
finally got there, it turned out to be a Jewish synagogue. He later wrote, “It
was as though I had cold water poured over me. I came running home…” From that
day forward, he never entered another casino. We do not know exactly what
happened to Dostoevsky that night, but somehow his addiction was broken. It
certainly had something to do with his desire to confess his sins and seek
Christ’s forgiveness. And it was as if an unclean spirit had been cast from
him. He entered into some of the most productive – and happiest – years of his
life. (Fr. Phil Bloom). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Dabbling in the Occult is anti-Christian: This is why the Church consistently and tirelessly warns all of her children against experimenting with occult practices. These are popular and accepted in our society, but that doesn’t mean that they are good. Horoscope watching, Ouija boards, palm reading, tea-leaves, crystals. these seemingly innocent entertainments are hooks the devil uses to draw us into his web of lies and false promises. They are the first step towards deeper contact with evil spirits through things like Wicca, neo-paganism, New Age, white and black magic, spiritism, theosophy, and even Satanism. Far from innocent pastimes, these activities directly contradict our friendship with Christ, because they look for fulfillment, meaning, and purpose apart from Christ. Dabbling with them is consciously and foolishly putting our friendship with Christ at risk (E- Priest). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) Blind following of wrong authority: For centuries people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong. Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle’s death. In 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten- pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right. This illustrates perfectly what is going on in the world today. You could show the terrible ravaging effects of AIDS and people will have promiscuous sex anyway. You can show someone a diseased liver and cancerous lungs and people are going to abuse alcohol and smoke regardless of the facts. [Bits & Pieces (January 9, 1992), pp. 22-23; quoted by Fr. Kayala.] Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) “Do you know who I am?” When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch), he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line. “Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?” “Sorry,” the woman told him. “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.” “But I’m starved,” the governor said. “Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.” Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.” “Do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.” [Bits & Pieces (May 28, 1992), pp. 5-6; quoted by Fr. Kayala). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) Pat Robertson’s devil mania: After calling for the assassination of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, then claiming that God caused Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke as punishment for conceding land to the Palestinians, Pat Robertson later claimed that Satan caused Dick Cheney’s shortness of breath that briefly hospitalized the Vice President. Why? “Because he is dedicated to defeating the evildoers in Iraq, and that angered the evilest doer of all, Satan.” On that same show Robertson extended condolences to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who needed fifteen stitches in his lip after “a motorcycle accident that I’m pretty sure was caused by Satan.” Satan, he advised, “is no match for a Republican” (The 700 Club, January 5, 10, 2006). Pat Robertson’s remarks are not only idiotic but as indefensibly reprehensible and appalling. Today’s Gospel describes how Jesus exercised his authority over the devil. (Dr. Murray Watson). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
22) Freedom to serve: During the early days of the nineteenth century, a wealthy plantation owner was attracted by the heartbreaking sobs of a slave girl who was about to step up to the auction block to be sold. Moved by a momentary impulse of compassion, he bought her at a very high price and then disappeared in the crowd. When the auction was over, the clerk came to the sobbing girl and handed her the bill of sale. To her astonishment, the plantation owner had written ‘Free’ over the paper that should have delivered her to him as his possession. She stood speechless, as one by one the other slaves were claimed by their owners and dragged away. Suddenly, she threw herself at the feet of the clerk and exclaimed: “Where is the man who bought me? I must find him! He has set me free! I must serve him as long as I live!” Are we ready to surrender our lives to Jesus who set us free and taught with divine authority? (Anthony Castle in More Quotes and Anecdotes; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
23) “You will give me your decision before you leave that circle.” Antiochus IV Ephiphanes, King of Syria, had a great interest in Egypt. He amassed an army and invaded that country in 168 B.C. To his deep humiliation the Romans ordered him home. They did not send an army to oppose him; such was the might of Rome that they did not need to. They sent a senator called Popilius Laena with a small and quite unarmed suite. Popilius and Antiochus met on the boundaries of Egypt. They talked; they both knew Rome and they had been friendly. Then very gently Popilius told Antiochus that Rome did not wish him to proceed with the campaign and wished him to go home. Antiochus said he would consider it. Popilius took the staff he was carrying and drew a circle in the sand round about Antiochus. Quietly he said, “Consider it now; you will give me your decision before you leave that circle.” Antiochus thought for a moment and realized that to defy Rome was impossible. “I will go home,” he said. It was a shattering humiliation for a king. But that was the power and the authority of the Roman Caesars. (See Daniel 11:29 and following, with the notes) – In today’s Gospel we hear of another man who exercised authority — not the authority of brute power that subjugated people, but the power that comes from God. His authority was different from anyone else. His authority was Divine. (John Rose in John’s Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
24) The movement is Christianity and the prophet is Jesus Christ. In one of its issues, Newsweek, addressed in depth the Women’s Liberation Movement. It observed that once the revolution was declared, the nation was flooded with books on the subject. Some books, like those written by Nancy Woloch and Phyllis Schlafly, were serious studies of the significance of the movement. Other books, like those authored by Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, were more strident and dogmatic. The latter illustrate what often happens in a movement: self-styled prophets emerge who presume to speak with full authority. And so we have had such figures as Hugh Hefner as the spokesman for the Playboy Philosophy, guru Timothy Leary for the LSD cult and the militant Malcolm X for the Black Power movement. History shows that many of these movements die out and that their prophets fade away. But there is one movement that endures, one prophet who lives forever. The movement is Christianity and the prophet is Jesus Christ. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
25) Authority is a strange thing! Authority is a strange thing. A fourteen-year-old boy argues about the curfew imposed by his parents. Then the next day in the freshman baseball game, he dutifully lays down a good bunt, forgoing a mighty swing at the fence, because the coach flashed a signal from the bench. Instant obedience to the coach; reluctant submission to mum and dad! On an airliner the captain flashes the seat-belt sign, and everybody complies. Four hours later in a rented car, the passenger disregards the seat belt. The irony: for the same distance travelled, the airliner is three times safer. (Gerard Fuller in Stories for All Seasons; quoted by Fr. Botelho). Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
26) Difference between “power” and “authority.” Suppose that you’re sitting at a traffic light, in the middle lane, waiting for the light to change. On your left is a Dodge Viper, with about a zillion horsepower, just waiting to streak away like a shot. That is power! On your right is the biggest, shiniest eighteen-wheeler you ever saw, with chromium exhaust pipes and a cab that looks two stories tall, and it is rumbling like a thousand snarling lions, waiting for the light to change. That’s power! But just before the light begins to change, you see a State Policeman, in shiny boots and spit-and-polish uniform. His car is parked across the way. He is evidently filling in for the school crossing guard. He walks to the center of the street and holds up his hand. All the traffic comes to a stop. You wait. The Viper waits. The eighteen-wheeler waits. And a tiny little girl with a backpack walks kitty-corner across the busy intersection. The rumbling engines may have power. But he has the authority! Just like the drivers in the outside and inside lanes, the Scribes could make a lot of noise and show off a lot with their pretentious knowledge, arguing from sunrise to sunset on obscure points of law. But only Jesus had both power and authority that was recognized by demons, and also the power and authority to command their instant, unquestioning obedience. Here is the point: The Scribes never yielded to the wisdom and truth of Jesus Christ. Now it is your turn: will you recognize, trust and yield to the authority of Jesus, or will you follow your own opinions? Fr. Fr. Tony(http://frtonyshomilies.com/).
Have a discerning weekend recognizing the prophetic presence of God in our midst!
In the earlier part of Deuteronomy Israel was warned about using all kinds of soothsayers and magical techniques to find out the will of God. The divine will was to be made known only through the prophets. Prophesy was to be Israel's special means of communication with God, Yahweh's special gift to his people. The people asked to be spared the ordeal of hearing the voice of God directly. They asked Moses to intercede with God to let His prophets speak on his behalf. Yahweh granted this request and the prophet became a mediator for the people. In the first reading Moses foretells the coming of a prophet who will speak about God's word to the people. Deuteronomy presents Moses himself as the ideal prophet. The prophet can never speak on his own authority, but speaks on behalf of God. The Jews believed that God would raise up in the last days a prophet like Moses.
Freedom to serve
Speaking with Authority
"Jesus spends the Sabbath at Capernaum with his first disciples. There he manifests his extraordinary authority, both by his teaching and by the healing of possessed and sick people. Thus from the beginning of his ministry his fame spreads throughout Galilee, this region which, after the first Easter, will become the place of universal mission. For the present, Jesus goes to the synagogue and teaches there. After the catechesis of the law given by a scribe, no doubt Jesus would have given the homily, as at Nazareth. He arouses the astonished admiration of his audience. Unlike the scribes, who were anxious above all to explain the letter of the text on the basis of commentaries received from their teachers, Jesus expresses himself like someone who knows what he is talking about, and is not satisfied to repeat what others have taught him. Referring to no one but himself, he appears to be free with regard to the law which he interprets with authority. The healing of a possessed man, who interrupts Jesus with his cries, confirms the power which the Holy One of God disposes of. It can only provoke the question: Who is this man? Let us recognize our difficulty with such an account. Today, medicine and depth psychology relegate to a purely pathological level what antiquity attributed to the supernatural world. 'Schizophrenia' is what we think of when confronted with this so-called demoniac, an explanation which may not explain anything at all. Why should Satan not sometimes act by means of the split in a psychotic personality? Let us not fall into the trap of the new conformity and look only to the human sciences and the philosophies of surmise! It is in order to liberate us from received ideas and reactions that Jesus comes, now as in the past, to speak to us with authority." -Glenstal Bible Missal
Speaking with Authority
Authority is a strange thing!
May we discover in the word of God the power and authority of Jesus Christ!
I believe that this illustrates perfectly what is going on in the world today. You could show the terrible ravaging effects of AIDS and people will have promiscuous sex anyway. You can show someone a diseased liver and cancerous lungs and people are going to abuse alcohol and smoke regardless of the facts.
You know what I wish? I wish someone would just climb to the top of the tower and push off a ten-pound argument and a one-pound argument and let's just see if they reach the ground first. That would finally prove who is right and who is wrong. But then I am reminded that when Galileo did that no one believed him. Even with the authority of obvious visible proof, i.e. the two weights reached the ground at the same time, the professors did not believe. The problem here is obvious. Most people are going to believe what they have always believed regardless of the facts.
But something different occurred in the life of Jesus. Something persuasive...
Scott Hoezee, Center for Excellence in Preaching
Help in Facing Our Fears
Adapted from Leslie Weatherhead.
6. Sermons Illustrations:
These illustrations are well known but here it is for the record:
In U.S. Navel Institute Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch illustrates the importance of obeying the Laws of the Lighthouse. Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out.
The lookout replied, "Steady, Captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.
The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: 'We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.'"
Back came the signal, "Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees."
The captain said, "Send: "I'm a captain, change course twenty degrees.'"
"I'm a seaman second-class," came the reply. "You had better change course twenty degrees."
By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send: 'I'm a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.'"
Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse."
We changed course.
Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 153.
When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.
"Excuse me," Governor Herter said, "do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?"
"Sorry," the woman told him. "I'm supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person."
"But I'm starved," the governor said.
"Sorry," the woman said again. "Only one to a customer."
Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around.
"Do you know who I am?" he said. "I am the governor of this state."
"Do you know who I am?" the woman said. "I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister."
Bits & Pieces, May 28, 1992, pp. 5-6.
For centuries people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong. Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle's death. In 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten- pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right.
Bits & Pieces, January 9, 1992, pp. 22-23.
Amy Carter brought an assignment home one Friday night while her father was still President. Stumped by a question on the Industrial Revolution, Amy sought help from her mother. Rosalynn was also fogged by the question and, in turn, asked an aide to seek clarification from the Labor Department. A "rush" was placed on the request since the assignment was due Monday. Thinking the question was a serious request from the Prez himself, a Labor Department official immediately cranked up the government computer and kept a full team of technicians and programmers working overtime all weekend...at a reported cost of several hundred thousand dollars. The massive computer printout was finally delivered by truck to the White House on Sunday afternoon and Amy showed up in class with the official answer the following day. But her history teacher was not impressed. When Amy's paper was returned, it was marked with a big red "C."
Campus Life, May, 1981 p. 59.
STATISTICS AND STUFF
God-ordained authorities:
Government: Rom 13, 1 Pt 2:17
Employer: Eph 6, 1 Pt 2:18
Husband: 1 Pt 3:1, Col 3:18, Eph 5:22
Parent: Eph 6
Elders: Heb 13:17
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