Authority for Deliverance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek the inspiration of the Spirit to see beyond the limitations on our faith and action that may be favoured by the principalities and powers of the world.

Discuss Deliverance

The reading from the Book of Numbers presents Balaam’s Fourth Oracle.

* [24:17] A star…a scepter: some early Christian writers, as well as rabbinic interpreters, understood this prophecy in messianic terms. So, for example, Rabbi Akiba designates Bar Kosiba the messiah in the early second century A.D. by calling him Bar Kokhba, i.e., son of the star, alluding to this passage. Although this text is not referred to anywhere in the New Testament, in a Christian messianic interpretation the star would refer to Jesus, as also the scepter from Israel; cf. Is 11:1. But it is doubtful whether this passage is to be connected with the “star of the Magi” in Mt 2:1–12. (Numbers, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 25 is a Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance.

* [Psalm 25] A lament. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Such acrostic Psalms are often a series of statements only loosely connected. The psalmist mixes ardent pleas (Ps 25:1–2, 16–22) with expressions of confidence in God who forgives and guides. (Psalms, PSALM 25 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, the Authority of Jesus is Questioned.

* [21:23–27] Cf. Mk 11:27–33. This is the first of five controversies between Jesus and the religious authorities of Judaism in Mt 21:23–22:46, presented in the form of questions and answers.

* [21:23] These things: probably his entry into the city, his cleansing of the temple, and his healings there.

* [21:24] To reply by counterquestion was common in rabbinical debate.

* [21:26] We fear…as a prophet: cf. Mt 14:5.

* [21:27] Since through embarrassment on the one hand and fear on the other the religious authorities claim ignorance of the origin of John’s baptism, they show themselves incapable of speaking with authority; hence Jesus refuses to discuss with them the grounds of his authority. (Matthew, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rashmi Fernando, S.J. comments that we too often resist acknowledging truth because it challenges our preconceived notions or compels us to change. This indecision exposes a key Advent theme: the readiness of our hearts to recognize and embrace God, at least for His divine work at work, in us, in the people we encounter, and in the creation.

As we anticipate the celebration of Christ’s birth, we are invited to reflect on the difference between knowing Christ by His doings versus knowing Him for who He is, and what that reveals about our own faith journey. In this season of preparation, Jesus asks each of us: “Who am I to you—today, this Christmas, and in your life at this precise moment?” In answering this question, let us keep in mind what Saint Ignatius has to say in this regard: it is by knowing Christ more intimately that we can love Him more ardently; and it is by loving Him more ardently that we can follow Him more closely. (Fernando, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “John the Baptist's authority came from heaven,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"Prior to this, the Pharisees had seen many things more worthy to be called great miracles, but now they were deeply troubled and asked Jesus to identify the authority by which he performed these works. The great mystery of the future is included in the consequences of present deeds. They felt the urge for special questioning, then, because the prefiguration of every danger was made known in this event. The Lord replied that he would tell them by what authority he did these works if only they would also reply to his question about whether they considered John the Baptist to have come from heaven or from man. They hesitated while pondering the dangers of responding. If they confessed John to have come from heaven, they would be convicted by that very confession for not believing in the authority of a heavenly witness. They were afraid to say that he was merely from man, however, because of the large crowd of people who believed John to be a prophet. So they answered that they did not know (they did in fact know him to be from heaven) because they feared that they might be convinced by the truth of their own confession. But they told the truth about themselves, even though it was their intention to deceive; it was only through their infidelity that they did not know John the Baptist to be from heaven. And they could not have known that John the Baptist was from man, because he was not." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 21.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 21:23-27 comments that we believe that Jesus’ authority comes from his Father. But how does he exercise this authority? He doesn’t lord it over us; neither does he want to control us. Instead, Jesus uses his authority to set us free from sin and to reveal the tender love and mercy of his Father. The more we submit to his authority, the more we grow in holiness and the more we are able to reflect his love and mercy to those around us.

Today, think about an area in your life that you are struggling to surrender to Jesus. Recall how he exercises his authority, and then do your best to hand it over to him. He loves you and wants good things for you. So put your trust in him, and know that he will always lead you along the path he has marked out for you!

“Jesus, help me to yield more and more of my life to you.” (Meditation on Matthew 21:23-27, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the text in Numbers that centres around the desire of Balak to curse the Israelites and the revelation to Balaam that they are blessed by the Lord. Jesus displays the cleverness that was so valued and necessary in a society in a violent world with much autocratic power. Friar Jude reminds us of the option we should exercise to offer a prayer in encounters with impatience and rudeness in this holiday season.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Anglican hermit Maggie Ross who describes an experience of God’s indwelling presence. Inspired by a Gospel passage about being “born again” (John 3:1–21), Ross recognizes how she is born anew through her “yes” to God’s invitation.

To bear the Word, to enter the kingdom, we must indeed be born from the Spirit, not for the second time in the womb of our natural mothers, but continually in the love of the Mother of God that brought forth her son, and like her, in the same movement, to bear Christ as well. Mary, then, is my mother in this second birth, just as she is for Nicodemus.  

That my heart is still not big enough to encompass this paradox I readily admit. I still feel unease about Mary sometimes…. But if nothing else, Mary has taught me to say yes: as Abraham and Sarah said yes, as Elizabeth and Zechariah said yes, as Jesus said yes to the cup that did not pass from him.  

And each time that cup is passed to me at the Eucharist, I look into its depths beyond the dark wine shimmering gold and, trembling, I say, “yes.” (Rohr, n.d.)

When we ponder what it is from which we need deliverance, we can certainly admit to personal and social ills that inhibit our acceptance of the call of Jesus to fullness of life.

References

Fernando, R. (2024, December 16). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121624.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/21?23 

Meditation on Matthew 21:23-27. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/12/16/1152494/ 

Numbers, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/24?2 

Psalms, PSALM 25 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/25?4 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Born Anew. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/born-anew/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). All Hold That John Was a Prophet. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 16, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=dec16 

The Work of the Spirit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today urge us to be open to the prompting of the Spirit to testify by our actions to love, truth, and beauty.

In the Spirit

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the conversion of Lydia.

* [16:10–17] This is the first of the so-called “we-sections” in Acts, where Luke writes as one of Paul’s companions. The other passages are Acts 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16. Scholars debate whether Luke may not have used the first person plural simply as a literary device to lend color to the narrative. The realism of the narrative, however, lends weight to the argument that the “we” includes Luke or another companion of Paul whose data Luke used as a source. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16, n.d.)

Psalm 149 offers praise for God’s Goodness to Israel.

* [Psalm 149] A hymn inviting the people of Israel to celebrate their God in song and festive dance (Ps 149:1–3, 5) because God has chosen them and given them victory (Ps 149:4). The exodus and conquest are the defining acts of Israel; the people must be ready to do again those acts in the future at the divine command (Ps 149:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 149, n.d.)

The Gospel of John proclaims testimony and the Work of the Spirit.

* [15:26] Whom I will send: in Jn 14:16, 26, the Paraclete is to be sent by the Father, at the request of Jesus. Here the Spirit comes from both Jesus and the Father in mission; there is no reference here to the eternal procession of the Spirit. (John, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)

Larry Gillick, S.J. comments that the Gospel Reading for today’s Eucharistic liturgy is from the Divine Poet assisting the hearers to keep pondering the poem of life, of love, of accompaniment.

As an elder Jesuit now, who does know what love has been in his life, has not attempted writing a love-poem since. The more there is love in my life, the more I wish to live it rather than give it away in frivolous and picturesque words. God continues writing our personal poems and sends the Holy Spirit of Creation to live its verses rather than try to absolutely exhaust its meaning. The more intimate an experience is, the less it can be exactly or accurately conveyed. The more someone wants the explanation for God or Jesus or our own life-poem the less they are really interested in reading as intimacy, but rather as something to react to rather than respond in their own reading of their own poem. The Spirit still is urging God’s Divine Poem, Jesus, to be received as mysterious and lived as a gracious revelation. Early in the first chapter of John’s Gospel, he writes that everything was created in Him, (Christ) and without Him nothing was created. So Christ is the fullness of the Divine Poem and each of us is a blessed word, image, verse within and of that Poem! This poem can seldom make sense or rhymes either. One more famous quotation from Father Waters in his poetry class still sounds in my head, simply, “Gillick, read the text!” (Gillick, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “The Comforter is with us in our troubles,” by Cyril of Jerusalem, 430-543 A.D.

"He is called the Comforter because he comforts and encourages us and helps our infirmities. We do not know what we should pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26), that is, he makes intercession to God. Very often, someone has been outraged and dishonored unjustly for the sake of Christ. Martyrdom is at hand; tortures on every side, and fire, and sword, and savage beasts and the pit. But the Holy Spirit softly whispers to him, 'Wait on the Lord' (Psalm 27:14). What is now happening to you is a small matter; the reward will be great. Suffer a little while, and you will be with angels forever. 'The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed in us' (Romans 8:18). He portrays to the person the kingdom of heaven. He gives him a glimpse of the paradise of delight." (excerpt from CATECHETICAL LECTURES 16.20) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 16:11-15 comments what a wonderful work the Holy Spirit did through Lydia! He built on her previous experience and natural gifts and brought forth something new and vibrant. Through her generosity, the gospel kept advancing, and the Church was built up in Greece and beyond.

That’s what faith does: it moves outward. God touches our lives, and it has a ripple effect far beyond ourselves. So let your faith move you to action today. Let your gratitude for all the ways God has worked in your life propel you to find ways to share the good news. Then watch to see how God takes your response and extends its effect beyond your expectations!

“Holy Spirit, guide me as I respond to the gift of faith.” (Meditation on Acts 16:11-15, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Luke describes the significant moment of the evangelization of Europe as Paul goes to Philippi and meets Lydia who invites the believers to meet in her house. The Paraclete reveals the truth or not of our encounters. Friar Jude notes the possibility of our experience of the help of the Spirit in persecution as we share in the Cross.

Barbara Holmes, CAC teacher, helps students make sense of the biblical language of the “principalities and powers” of evil. For Father Richard, Paul’s language of “principalities and powers” names the corporate evils of our day.

We must first convict religion in its organizational form—not in its adherents, who might be quite good and holy—but the glorified organization itself. Then we must consider nation-states, war economies, penal systems, the banking system, the pharmaceutical system, etc. They are all good and necessary, in and of themselves. But when we idolize them and refuse to hold them fully accountable—I am going to dare to say the unsayable—they usually become demonic in some form. We normally cannot see this until it is too late. [2] (Holmes, 2023)

We are supported by the Holy Spirit when we step out to demonstrate assistance, love, mercy, compassion, and understanding for the people we encounter on our journey.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/16?11 

Gillick, L. (2023, May 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/051523.html 

Holmes, B. (2023, May 15). Principalities and Powers — Center for Action and Contemplation. Richard Rohr. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/principalities-and-powers-2023-05-15/ 

John, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15 

Meditation on Acts 16:11-15. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/05/15/678326/ 

Psalms, PSALM 149. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/149?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). When the Counselor Comes, the Spirit of Truth. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=may15