Homily – July 2, 2009 – Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time - Thursday

The type of "authority" that Jesus spoke from – came not from a college degree, or a high-salaried job or anything other than what was given him by God his Father. His confidence and surety came from the fact that he was the truth! He was the authority on anything that he spoke about! He was there when everything was made! All human authority comes from his Father, and if rightly used goes back to him in the form of credit and glory; if human beings steal the credit and the glory and apply it to themselves or others, then they have seriously misused the authority.

Jesus demonstrated his authority in two ways that others cannot: he could cure illness and disease, and he could forgive sin – each with the same ease and alacrity; this because they are both related to some degree.

And so in the gospel passage Jesus chooses to cure the paralytic – to have him walk - as the demonstration of having his sins forgiven. "And the crowds were amazed at what they saw and glorified God" – whom they thought had simply give such amazing authority to a mere man. They still did not understand the full import of what happened, but they were on the right track.

In the first reading today we have another very evident demonstration of authority: this time involving God, Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was willing to do what God told him to do and sacrifice his own son as an offering to God, but God stopped him just in the nick of time because Abraham's obedience in faith was so unswerving and true. The authority demonstrated here is the authority derived from faith. If we trust God absolutely, and believe that he loves us and wants the very best for us and those we love – then even when things seem to be heading in an uncomfortable direction – actually something quite good can come from it. In this case God entered into a covenant with Abraham, a covenant of mercy that would last through generations as Abraham became the spiritual father in faith of a host of nations!

This obedience of faith, of course, was the precursor of the great obedience of Jesus that would reconcile mankind to God – and he has entrusted to us this message of reconciliation: so that we can tell others of it and possibly effect a reconciliation, a healing and a growth where it is most needed – with the people we see every day!

The house of Israel trusted in the Lord; he was and is their help and their shield – he can be ours as well! – if we trust in him and his great promise of mercy towards us!