In Jesus Name

And they entered into Capharnaum, and forthwith upon the sabbath days going into the synagogue, he taught them. And they were astonished at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus threatened him, saying: Speak no more, and go out of the man. And the unclean spirit tearing him, and crying out with a loud voice, went out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying: What thing is this? what is this new doctrine? for with power he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. And the fame of him was spread forthwith into all the country of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father there is greatness in the teaching your Son gave. His healing grace and His power over evil. Through the knowledge that he had the power to conquer evil and know doctrine so very well, all by your loving hand. They were amazed and so would I be would I have witnessed this act of authority over unclean spirits. Yet your Son Jesus was meek and humble of heart. His love for people spoke loudly in how he wanted to clean and heal them of disease, illness and most especially from evil. And we read of the accounts of the evil spirits knowing Jesus for who He is, the Son of God. The God of Love and Mercy.

Holy One of God

And he went down into Capharnaum, a city of Galilee, and there he taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his speech was with power. And in the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean devil, and he cried out with a loud voice, Saying: Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold thy peace, and go out of him. And when the devil had thrown him into the midst, he went out of him, and hurt him not at all.

And there came fear upon all, and they talked among themselves, saying: What word is this, for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they go out? And the fame of him was published into every place of the country.
Luke 4:31-37 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer

Dear Father you gave Jesus the authority to command even the demons that invade our bodies and souls. How we pray to be free of these demons when our life is not lived in you. We invite them into our lives when we sin and it is only through the authority of Jesus' words that will remove them. Nothing is easy in our life when we follow the way of your Son, it is then we are snipped at by the demons that have been expelled long ago. It is with faith that we prevail and call upon the name of Jesus to protect us from evil. May we see the difference in what is good in our life and come to live it, to keep our lives free from evil. May we love God first and keep his love in our hearts, free from the taint of evil. Amen

Saturday the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Mark 11:27-33

Prayer

Dear Father thank you for the authority you had given Jesus to carry out your plan. Just as John's baptism was of Divine as well as human origin. It originated from you in order for another human being to perform his baptism. Same when John baptized your Son, it was of Divine origin and done by human. Dear Father thankfully we are able to read of these accounts and not be as the chief priests, the elders and the scribes who question Jesus' authority. We are able to see the promise fulfilled in your Word. We are blessed in so many ways to believe without seeing by your Word alone. May our understand of Jesus' authority bring us greater understanding of the Divine. Amen