Lamentations 1:17-22
Psalms 6, 12, 94
2 Corinthians 1:8-22
Mark 11:27-33
In today’s gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders ask Jesus by what authority he is doing these things. Jesus says He will tell them if they will answer one question, did the baptism of John come from heaven or human origin? It is a no-win situation for them: if they answer from heaven, He will ask why they didn’t believe in John. If they answer from human origin, the crowd who believed in John will attack them. So they answer, “We do not know.”
In the past I have thought disparagingly of the chief priests’, scribes’, and elders’ inability to accept Jesus for who He is. How could they be so blind to the source of Jesus’ authority? However, these feelings of superiority have disappeared. In fact, I identify with the chief priests, scribes, and elders. I am like them. I am them. I challenge Jesus’ authority every day as I live my life… putting my will, the love of self, before my love of God. When I do not love God with all my heart am I not denying who Jesus is?
I wonder what questions Jesus would ask me if I met Him on the streets of NYC. I wonder if I would even recognize Him, since I sometimes judge people out of ignorance, by how they look. I pray that my eyes will be open to see Him when I meet him and my heart will be strong enough to acknowledge who I am.
