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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider By what authority are you doing these things?

By what authority are you doing these things?

Published Dec 12, 2022 12:05 am

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Reflections today

True authority comes from God and can be exercised from within. Today’s Gospel narrates Jesus’ encounter with the chief priests and the elders of the people. These people question Jesus’ authority. Since the encounter is situated in the Temple area, they may have been referring to the things Jesus was doing in the Temple, like teaching and healing people. We recall that such encounter is preceded by Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple (Mt 21:12-17) and his cursing of the fig tree (Mt 21:18-22). Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple is a prophetic act, which points to the sovereign authority of God. His cursing of the fig tree is an exercise of his power from within. Jesus’ authority clearly comes from God, which the chief priests and elders fail to recognize. In whatever we are doing, do we recognize God’s authority over us? What are the things we do during this Advent season that manifest God’s authority over our life? Does the exercise of our inner authority reflect our deep faith in God?

Gospel • Matthew 21:23-27

When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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