The description of a future messenger of God fits any prophets in the Old Testament. Yahweh grants the request of the office of the prophet as the mediator between God and the people. But God will also send a final prophet, the eschatological prophet of the end times. Some see Jesus as the fulfillment of the eschatological prophet. The early Christian community saw Christ as the final prophet.

God knows not all people can dedicate themselves totally to Him. Thus, He respects the different states of life, married life, and unmarried state. For consecrated persons, it is ideal to be single because they would worry less about temporal things. They can exclusively offer themselves to the Lord with all heart and soul. But a married person, on the other hand, will be preoccupied with many other temporal things, plus their responsibilities towards wife and children.

The Sabbath(Hebrew Shabbat)is the day of rest commanded by the Lord since He rested on the 7th day (Gen. 2:23). A day of rest also for the people (Ex. 20:1011). The Sabbath is a sign of dignity, a sign of God’s irrevocable covenant with Israel. It is a memorial of the Exodus, their journey out of Egypt. Jesus always respects the Sabbath. But when Jesus heals and expels unclean spirits on a sabbath it is a sign of renewal of the Covenant (God) and restoration of human dignity.

The possessed are under the influence of the devil or unclean spirits. The priests declare them ritually unclean or defiled and prohibited from worship and fellowship with the community. Casting out the unclean spirit was one of the central characteristics of the public ministry of Jesus. Because the Lord passionately and willingly exorcizes unclean spirits, the Church recognizes the necessity of the ministry of exorcism to free people possessed by the evil one. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons and liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority that Jesus granted to the Church. (CCC 1673)

Jesus and His disciples made Capernaum as their home base. He took up residence there: When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. (Mk. 2:1)When He preached in the synagogue for the first time, people immediately sensed the difference: Here was somebody who did not speak and teach like their Rabbis because He spoke with authority.

There are different kinds of authority. 1.) The authority of a wise person. 2.) The authority of a prophet. He is the messenger of God; his main task is to deliver the message of God. 3.) The authority of Jesus Christ, who speaks with authority because He is God. Since the words of Jesus speak with authority as God, many miracles happen, healing and casting out unclean spirits. In the case of the Gospel, the demon recognizes his opponent, the Holy One of God (Mk. 1:24). In a simple command, the unclean spirit leaves the possessed man. Jesus speaks with His authority because He is GOD.

There is a thin line between fame and shame. Did you hear of the saying: A tree that bears much fruit will eventually be stoned? Whatever Jesus did and said, He received criticism and rejection. Still, He continues to teach and proclaim about the Kingdom of God, the mission entrusted to Him by the Father. Despite opposition and persecution, our Lord was one BRAVEHEART unafraid to speak the truth and proclaim the Gospel.

Mama Mary, teach us your humility that we may also learn to submit fully to the authority of your Son, Jesus Christ.

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