Acting with authority

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate spiritual reality that is more than we can see and measure through the reduced awareness that often pacifies society today.

More than we see

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews explores the relationship of Jesus to humans and angels by reference using a rabbinic technique to Psalm 8.

 * [2:5–18] The humanity and the suffering of Jesus do not constitute a valid reason for relinquishing the Christian faith. Ps 8:5–6 is also applied to Jesus in 1 Cor 15:27; Eph 1:22; and probably 1 Pt 3:22. This christological interpretation, therefore, probably reflects a common early Christian tradition, which may have originated in the expression the son of man (Heb 2:6). The psalm contrasts God’s greatness with man’s relative insignificance but also stresses the superiority of man to the rest of creation, of which he is lord. Hebrews applies this christologically: Jesus lived a truly human existence, lower than the angels, in the days of his earthly life, particularly in his suffering and death; now, crowned with glory and honor, he is raised above all creation. The author considers all things as already subject to him because of his exaltation (Heb 2:8–9), though we do not see this yet. The reference to Jesus as leader (Heb 2:10) sounds the first note of an important leitmotif in Hebrews: the journey of the people of God to the sabbath rest (Heb 4:9), the heavenly sanctuary, following Jesus, their “forerunner” (Heb 6:20). It was fitting that God should make him perfect through suffering, consecrated by obedient suffering. Because he is perfected as high priest, Jesus is then able to consecrate his people (Heb 2:11); access to God is made possible by each of these two consecrations. If Jesus is able to help human beings, it is because he has become one of us; we are his “brothers.” The author then cites three Old Testament texts as proofs of this unity between ourselves and the Son. Ps 22:22 is interpreted so as to make Jesus the singer of this lament, which ends with joyful praise of the Lord in the assembly of “brothers.”1

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus confronts the demons of a man possessed and establishes His authority as Son of God.

 * [1:24–25] The Holy One of God: not a confession but an attempt to ward off Jesus’ power, reflecting the notion that use of the precise name of an opposing spirit would guarantee mastery over him. Jesus silenced the cry of the unclean spirit and drove him out of the man.2

George Butterfield comments that Jesus is the perfect human. Even though he for a little while is made lower than the angels, he is crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, he tasted death for everyone.

 He is the very one who created us and intended glory and honor for us but he died so that we might become the men and women we were created to be. He came to bring us to glory, to consecrate us to God. And he does this as one who was made perfect through suffering, as our brother. In fact, even though we are sinners and living beneath our rightful glory and honor, he is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. One of us undid the ancient curse by tasting death for us and then leading us to the glory of human beings fully alive.3

Don Schwager quotes “Knowing without loving” from the City of God, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 "Those words show clearly that the demons had much knowledge, but entirely lacked love. They dreaded receiving their punishment from him. They did not love the righteousness that was in him. He made himself known to them to the extent he willed; and he willed to be made known to the extent that was fitting. But he was not made known to them as he is known to the holy angels, who enjoy participation in his eternity, in that he is the Word of God. To the demons he is known as he had to be made known, by striking terror into them, for his purpose was to free from their tyrannical power all who were predestined for his kingdom and glory, which is eternally true and truly eternal. Therefore, he did not make himself known to the demons as the life eternal, and the unchangeable light which illuminates his true worshipers, whose hearts are purified by faith in him so that they see that light. He was known to the demons through certain temporal effects of his power, the signs of his hidden presence, which could be more evident to their senses, even those of malignant spirits, than to the weak perception of human beings. (excerpt from CITY OF GOD 9.21)4

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 1:21-28 offers assistance in dealing with our demons.

 People living in First World countries have all but completely dismissed the idea that evil spirits are real. But as numerous saints have emphasized over and over again, that’s a big mistake. Demons are real, and they are constantly trying to tempt us to commit sins.5

Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out the rabbinic technique used by the author of Hebrews. In Jesus time, the sense of “perfection” was that of ordination as priest. Friar Jude shares the Hebrew Testament understanding that the spiritual demons know Jesus identity as Son of God.

Cynthia Bourgeault reflects that whatever this Kingdom of Heaven is, it’s of foundational importance to what Jesus is trying to teach.

 Where is it, then? Author Jim Marion’s wonderfully insightful and contemporary suggestion is that the Kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. [1] It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place.
Marion suggests specifically that the Kingdom of Heaven is Jesus’ way of describing a state we would nowadays call “nondual consciousness” or “unitive consciousness.” The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation—not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans. These are indeed Jesus’ two core teachings, underlying everything he says and does.6

The reduction of reality that has dismissed spiritual experience for the past 500 years has hidden for many the growth and fulfillment that God intends for us as brothers and sisters of Christ.

References

1	(n.d.). Hebrews chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/2:20
2	(n.d.). Mark chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark
3	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). 1st Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved January 15, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/
6	(2019, January 4). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Daily Meditations Archives .... Retrieved January 15, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01/