4th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 Speaking Authoritatively 

Everyone has an opinion. 

This homily is an opinion. 

All one has to do is go on the Internet and look at the comment section on any article and one will find thousands of opinions but no one speaks authoritatively. 

So a person can take or leave whatever another person says. 

And thousands of opinions does not make it more authoritative. 

At the time of Jesus there were many opinions by the religious leaders. 

But no religious leader believed that he had the ability to speak authoritatively or beyond his opinion. 

Jesus was different however.  

He spoke with authority because he was AUTHORIZED by His Father. Mk. 1:27

As Jesus said,

“All things have been delivered to me by my Father”and no one knows the Son, except the Father; no knows the Father, except the Son. Mt. 11:27

Jesus is the only one who knows the Father and the only one to whom the Father has given everything. 

Thus Jesus can speak authoritatively. 

There are many people who claim to speak authoritatively, but in reality have authorization from no one except themselves. 

In truth it is just their opinion. 

Know the difference between opinion and authority. 

Opinions are great for politics, cooking and shopping. 

But no one should base their Eternal Life on an opinion!

When it comes to Eternal Life, I want to hear from an authority. 

And that is why I choose Jesus. 

For no one comes to the Father except through Him. Jn. 14:6