Today’s readings: Deuteronomy 18, 15-20; 1 Corinthians 7, 32-35; Mark 1, 21-28.
Today’s gospel narrative of Jesus shutting out an unclean spirit in the synagogue who felt threatened by his presence should provoke our imagination on what are the unclean spirits that hold us captive and how far is religion fulfilling the true needs of our soul. There are ‘unclean spirits’ that make the world uninhabitable, that hinder us from opening to the other, that sow division and intolerance, and that distort God’s image in us.
We need to name them and we need to ask whether, as believers, we have neutralised Christ’s power to heal us. When people are fed propaganda that makes them believe illusions about life and living, and when fake news constantly alienate people from an authentic search for the truth, the real needs of the soul are ignored. This is happening all the time, and it happens even in religion when, as Deuteronomy hints, we presume to speak in God’s name truths that cannot be farther from God’s own truth.
The reading from Deuteronomy shows that in spite of the established religion, with its laws, customs and liturgy, there is always the need for prophetic voices that challenge the institution, and from time to time shake the foundations. Religion can easily become fossilised and lose its force on people’s lives.
The Jews had their priestly institution, the Law and the Temple, just as we have. Yet, according to what transpires from Deuteronomy, this seemed void of God, and God promised to raise prophets to bring people back on track. Prophecy unveils the lie we often exchange for God’s truth.
This is what distinguished Jesus from the religion on offer in the synagogue. Jesus was different from the scribes and the Pharisees who represented the religious establishment and claimed a hold on the Torah. St Mark’s narrative of Jesus is eminently from the perspective of the authority that transpired from the way he was perceived and from the impact he left on the crowds. His teaching was not words, doctrine or rules that, as in the case with the scribes, left much to be desired. The crowds were impressed not by what he said but by what he did. In the Capernaum synagogue, as St Mark observes, he “made a deep impression” on the people because, unlike the scribes, “he taught them with authority”.
Soon after, St Mark explains what teaching with authority means. He tells the story of how a man in the synagogue “possessed by an unclean spirit” and feeling threatened by the presence of Jesus, was restored, and all were astonished about “a teaching that is new and with authority behind it”.
Many people in the world and in the Church occupy positions of power but command no authority. Power can be an imposition from above, but authority is a matter of credibility. If you are not credible you can claim no moral authority. This is a major distinction we need to make when analysing those in the world and the Church who have power but no authority, and why.
History accounts for numerous prophetic voices who spoke with moral authority and were silenced. A prophetic voice is usually extra chorus and does not toe the line. People like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Oscar Romero were killed but they commanded so much authority in what they said and did that their impact transcended far beyond their earthly existence.
Even today, God continues to raise prophets to convey to His people truths otherwise hidden or distorted even by established religions. True religion makes us discern clean from unclean spirits. Furthermore, it should make us feel not threatened but embraced in Christ’s presence who alone has the power to restore our wholeness.