Breaking the Word – Page 2250 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

25.06.11 AUTHORITY

Posted under Reflections on June 25th, 2011 by

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed. Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. When it was evening, they brought him many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: "He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases." (Mt 8:5-17)

Jesus came into the world to be with the people. He emptied himself taking the form of a slave. Jesus wanted to be one like anyone in the world. Yet he had the healing power of God in him. He was willing to go to the house of the centurion. But the man had such a regard for him that he was not willing to disturb the master.

Centurion, a man of authority and who has used his authority over his servants was ready to accept his emptiness. He realized that authority is not inborn or authority is not attached permanently to a person. Authority is timely (for a period of time) and it is exercised at a particular situation over few people. Authority is not eternal but he was ready to accept the person Jesus for what he has or what he is.

Jesus healed many people. On the very same day he healed the mother in law of peter and the very same evening he cured the sick and exorcised the demon possessed. All the activities of Jesus only proved that he fulfilled the scripture in his life. Man does not have authority over the others but he has to fulfil the word of god in his life and that too to help the others to be better persons (complete, whole, integral persons).

24.06.11 JOHN THE BAPTIST

Posted under Reflections on June 24th, 2011 by

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. (Lk 1:57-66, 80)

The birth of the son is a happy event. The neighbours and friends rejoiced with the mother. It was because the God had shown his mercy towards her. Birth of the child is not a mere physiological event. It is not just a natural event or a casual event. For a believer is the outcome of the mercy of God. That is why every believer thinks that for the birth of the child three persons are involved: the father of the child, the mother of the child and God.

Naming of the child is an important event for the Jews. The name revealed the character of the person. It revealed the qualities of the person. So they chose the name in such a way that the child’s character was found in it or at least the character they wanted the child to possess. Naming of the event is also a community event because the community is the witness to the character of the child and the community has the responsibility to see the growth of the child according to the name.

Naming of the child makes the father of the child to be free to speak. Naming of the child gives authority to the father to speak openly on public. It makes the relatives and friends wonder. It may be due to the collective responsibility towards their role in making the child to be what it should become. Since the hand of God was in with the child, he grew to be what he should be.