Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 11, 27-33
Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem.
As he was walking in the temple area,
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
approached him and said to him,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority to do them?”
Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question.
Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”–
they feared the crowd,
for they all thought John really was a prophet.
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
Then Jesus said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Prudence is a good friend
1) Authority. This authority does not lie in a badge, suit, dress, or figure. Authority is earned with consistency and the way one acts in life. In the course of my life, I have seen personalities dressed in suits with a badge, that imposed their authority out of vanity or just to show off. I have also seen simple people who, with just their gaze, inspired such respect that their mere presence held a pleasant authority. I hope that, in your life, you don’t fall into that authoritarianism that leads you to live shouting at others and trampling over them; but that the authority in you be noted in your way of being and testimony of life.
2) Clever. Jesus is very smart and knows how to get out of certain complicated situations. He knows how to study each situation and not get carried away by impulses. Learn to control your passions and impulses. As a boxer friend would say: “you don’t have to hit a lot to win a fight, but you must know where and when to hit”. Guard what you say and how you act so that you don’t “hit” others. Be simple and subtle.
3) Prudence. This means to keep control of your thoughts. It’s acting fairly, appropriately, and in moderation. It’s also understood as the virtue of communicating with others through clear, literal, cautious, and appropriate language. When you’re prudent, your actions will respect the feelings, lives, and freedom of other people. Today let’s ask the Sacred Heart for the grace to be prudent.
Remember something good is on the way. God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
