Twenty-sixth Sunday Ordinary Time
September 26, 2021 •
The homily focuses on the Gospel of Luke chapter7, verses 1-10.
What is it about the centurion's faith that the Lord was so impressed by?...
Without a proper understating of the nature of authority as created by God, we will always have a weak faith.
Consider the Saducees and the Pharisees for a moment. They saw the miracles of the Lord. They witnessed it. And they still rejected His authority. That's illogical, that doesn't make sense. If you encountered somebody who had the power to simply raise someone from the dead, or heal a very serious illness, I would hope you had the right reason to be impressed by them, and realize that this person clearly has significant authority, at least in the eyes of God.
The centurion does - and that's how he manifests his faith. But it's all based on his understanding of authority.
Particularly in this country we have a problem because we do not understand authority as it has been handed down to us through Tradition and through the Scriptures. The Bible teaches us very clear things about authority as created and designed by God....
In nature, there is a hierarchy of authority which has nothing to do with the equality of persons. In the sight of God, all persons are made in His image and likeness. They all have the same dignity, the same inherent goodness and glory. But that doesn't mean they all have the same authority.
I don't obey somebody because they're a good person. I obey them because they have authority over me. In fact, that's the teaching of our Lord. He said in the Gospel of Matthew: "The Scribes and Pharisees have taken their seat on the Chair of Moses. Therefore do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example for they preach but do not practice."...
But we who are under authority do not have the option to disobey because they are not virtuous or holy. This is one of the challenges that we have in our country with authority. We think that if I disagree with the authority or if they're treating me badly, I don't have to be obedient to them.
Show me in the Scriptures, Old or New Testament, where that is a teaching that comes from God. In fact it's the opposite.
Always, always obey those that have authority over you, in all things as to the Lord. That's what the Bible tells us....
This is where people get concerned. They hear this and they think, "Wait, you're telling me I have to do everything that they tell me to do?"
No.
This is where it gets interesting...
Nm 11:25-29; Ps 19:8, 10, 12-14; Jas 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Homily begins at 20:37