Reflection for Tuesday September 3 Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church: Luke 4:31-37

Gospel: Luke 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  

 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

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Reflection:

Do we have time to read the words of Jesus in the bible, do we have a regular prayer life and do we give time to Jesus at Holy Mass? Many of us do not have time but when it comes to worldly things we create time.  

If only we would give time to Jesus we would certainly feel His authority and power working within us. How does the authority and power of Jesus work in us? For example, if during the time that we still don’t know Jesus we were temperamental. After discovering Jesus in our life we will now become calm and peaceful.  

If before we are easily affected by sad events that come our way. Not so much anymore now, for the simple reason that we already learned to surrender our life to Jesus. There are other true stories of transformed lives all because of Jesus. These are example of Jesus power and authority at work in our life.  

But many have not yet experienced the power and authority of Jesus in their lives. So, what are we going to do? We who have already experienced the transforming power and authority of Jesus have to lead them to Jesus. We have to encourage them to open and read the bible, we have to teach them to pray and we have to encourage them to go to Holy Mass.  

We certainly will be blessed by Jesus if we do so. Perhaps not material blessing for it’s temporal and fleeting anyway. What Jesus will give us is His friendship and His abiding presence in our life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas