Ord.Wk 8th: Saturday 29th May, 2021 May 29, 2021
Reflection on the WORD
Deception – Truth: In today’s Gospel, the chief priests, scribes and elders questioned Jesus about His authority to chase the money changers out of the Temple for worship. Ponder on, “Do I question Jesus’ and the Church’s Teaching and Moral Authority, in order to justify my unjust, immoral and self-centred living?”
Watch video homilies of Fr Philip Heng, SJ preached at Church of St Ignatius, Singapore - go to Jesuit Prayer Ministry www.jesuit.org.sg
Mark 11:27-33
Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’
Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John's baptism, did it come from heaven or from man? Answer me that.’
And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heavenly, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ -- they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet.
16
So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- •The Pharisees tried to be non-committal when they were “cornered” by Jesus’ question. They did not want to ‘lose face’ in front of Jesus and the public.
- •Do we sometimes play the same game with the Holy Spirit by trying to ignore the interior promptings to do good or to try to “escape” from the challenges that the Spirit pose us?
- •How far are we prepared to go in following Christ? Do we have the negative attitude of the Pharisees or the courage of the disciples who dare to live up to their faith regardless of the price? What is the Spirit saying to you now?