All Are Subject to Him

Authority is a word can have both positive and negative connotations. The people who encountered Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum were initially astonished by his authority. However, then his authority was recognized by an unclean spirit. Even the forces of evil recognized Jesus as the Holy One of God. Finally, Jesus supports his authoritative teaching with action: he commands the unclean spirit, and it obeys.

Elsewhere in the Gospels, the wind and the waters obey his commands. He defeats even death by raising the daughter of Jairus. As the Letter to the Hebrews states, all things were subject to him. He is the Lord of the universe, for whom and through whom all things exist. Thankfully, the Lord of the universe is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters – to make each of us an intimate member of his family.

We have just entered the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This is the period for us to meditate on the life of Christ, to tell the stories of Jesus’ authority, faithfulness, and love throughout his earthly ministry. As we tell these stories, as we reflect on Jesus’s teachings and actions, and as we receive his body and blood in the Eucharist, let us give thanks to God for the gift of his son. Along with our thanks, let us add our own astonishment at his authority, humbly embracing his commands with obedience, recognizing that we too are subject to him.