Topic: Reacting to the Authority of Jesus
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?” Matthew 21:23
Catholic Daily Reflections 13 December 2021 | Monday Message
This was a bit of a bold move on the part of the chief priests and the elders. They clearly had an agenda and were clearly agitated by Jesus. How sad.
Think about that for a moment. Here is God Almighty, in the Person of Jesus the Eternal Son, teaching the Words of eternal life. He is in the temple area and the chief priests and elders were agitated by Him. Jesus spoke with power and authority and everyone recognized that. But the chief priests and elders appeared to be angry and envious of Him, calling into question where He received His authority. This is quite shocking when understood clearly and reveals how far the religious leaders of the time were off track. They were clearly blind. Their challenge of Jesus, in this context, shows that they were not open to the truth and were not open to God’s plan of salvation. Instead, they were filled with self-centeredness, pride and envy.
Try to put yourself in that temple area where Jesus was speaking. What would your reaction to Him be like? Would you ignore Him? Would you be curious about Him? Would you be agitated by Him or envious? Or would you recognize His divine power, love and authority and seek Him out?
Reflect, today, upon how you encounter our Lord on a daily basis. Though we are not able to literally go to that temple area and listen to Jesus speak, we do have the same opportunity all around us every day. The truth is that God is still speaking in countless ways. Reflect upon how easily you perceive His presence and His voice. And when you do hear Him speak, how do you react?
Lord, help me to hear Your divine voice every day. Help me to recognize You everywhere I go. And as I seek You out, help me to rejoice in finding You and react with complete confidence in all You say. Jesus, I trust in You.
Salvation Prayer
Have you ever made Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life?
If not, pray this prayer and start a new life in Christ.
Dear God, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. I admit that I am not right with You, and I want to be right with You. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. The Bible says if I confess with my mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved (Rom. 10:9). I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank You for saving me! In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer for the first time, we would like to know. Click here to send us an e-mail or share your testimony.