Note: Yesterday's slice of bread should appear today. I thought I had made the publishing deadline, but obviously, not. Continue your Gaudete Sunday today!
Mt 21:; 23-37
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Does a day go by when we are not confronted by someone questioning our actions or words? Don't we find ourselves in an on-going bind where it seems we can't win? Jesus experienced confrontation after confrontation, but was able to handle them adeptly. Would that we had that ability! The best we can do is to ask him for the strength and grace to meet these challenges and not let them overtake us, even finding them resolved before we fall asleep in his arms. Advent is the season of preparation and waiting; may our daily troubles increase our desire for Jesus to be "born again" in our hearts and give us the courage and inspiration to keep moving to the place he has prepared for us.
Bro. Rene.
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