Reflection for December 15 Monday of the Third Week of Advent: Matthew 21:23-27

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.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Are we in a position of authority? Yes, we are. In our own little ways, each of us occupies a position of authority—at home, at work, in our communities, and in the Church.

Authority is synonymous with power, yet many of us struggle to use it well. Too often, authority is misused to oppress, to bully, to corrupt, and to look down on those who are powerless and poor. When authority is separated from love and humility, it becomes a tool for self-interest rather than service.

The chief priests during the time of Jesus were like this. They constantly stayed behind Him, watching His every move, waiting for an opportunity to humiliate Him. They were threatened by His growing popularity among ordinary people, and they perceived Him as powerless and lowly. Because of this, they made it a habit to oppress Him.

Yet Jesus, whom they considered weak, possessed the greatest authority any of us could ever have. And how did He use it? He used it with humility. He used it to heal. He used it to comfort the brokenhearted. He used it to give hope to the hopeless and to serve those who were forgotten. Never did He boast about His authority; never did He demand worship because of it. His authority flowed from love, obedience, and complete trust in the Father.

As we reflect on our own lives, we are invited to examine how we exercise the authority entrusted to us. As parents, how do we use our authority in our homes? As leaders or managers, how do we use our authority in our places of work? As politicians, how do we exercise authority over our constituencies? As priests, how is authority lived out in our parishes? As teachers, how do we exercise authority over our students? In whatever role we are given, authority is never meant to dominate, but to serve.

Jesus remains our best and perfect model: authority exercised with humility, authority expressed with compassion, and authority offered for the greater glory of God. This is the kind of authority we are called to embrace—not for our own honor, but for the good of others.

As we stand before the Lord today, let us ask ourselves honestly and prayerfully: Is our authority drawing people closer to God, or pushing them away? Are we using the power entrusted to us to serve, to heal, and to give hope—or to elevate ourselves? — Marino J. Dasmarinas