THE $64,000 QUESTION

The wisdom of the saints may seem dark and forbidding. But all saints learn that the one and only path to complete freedom and joy comes in a total surrender of self to the will of God, so that we might become all He created us to be.

Gospel text (Mk 11:27-33): They were once again in Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the elders came to him and asked, «What authority do you have to act like this? Who gave you authority to do the things you do?». Jesus said to them, «I will ask you a question, only one, and if you give me an answer, then I will tell you what authority I have to act like this. Was John's preaching and baptism a work of God, or was it merely something human? Answer me».

And they kept arguing among themselves, «If we answer that it was a work of God, He will say: ‘Why then did you not believe him?’». But neither could they answer before the people that the baptism of John was merely something human, for everyone regarded John as a prophet. So they answered Jesus, «We don't know», and Jesus said to them, «Neither will I tell you what authority I have to act as I do».

Like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, we have many questions to ask Jesus about His authority. We ask Jesus if He will exercise His authority to heal cancer, restore a broken marriage, bring a paralytic out of a wheelchair, or free a person from mental illness. Jesus said: "Full authority has been given to Me both in heaven and on earth" (Mt 28:18). Yet how can His authority be applied to the pressing problems of our lives?

Jesus will answer all our questions about His authority if we first answer His question about John's baptism of repentance (Mk 11:29-30). We must come under the authority of Jesus through repentance and obedience. Then we can not only have our questions answered but can even move in the authority of the Lord. In fact, we can even do greater by far than Jesus ever did (Jn 14:12).

However, we are a stiff-necked and rebellious people. We don't even want to hear about repentance — much less do it. We desperately need someone to minister to us — to open our hearts (Lk 2:35), teach, and mother us. Mothers have a way of helping their children obey. On this Saturday when we honor our Blessed Mother, ask Mary to mother you. May Mary help us to repent and obey Jesus, have our questions answered, and exercise His authority in our lives.