mamabishop: By What Authority? Sunday, October 1st

Saturday, September 30, 2023

By What Authority? Sunday, October 1st

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.” Matthew 21:23-32

Authority is a complicated matter, particularly for Indigenous people. We showed hospitality to the first settlers, refugees and immigrants. Quickly we became enemies of our fledgling government, then wards of the government. Others had authority over us. The citizenship act of 1924 did not give tribes sovereignty. That happened in the late 1970s, and that was limited to the federally recognized tribes. Even now, the sovereignty of tribes is often challenged and denied. We find Jesus being tested by the religious leaders about where his authority comes from. They didn't like to think he was treading on something they thought was theirs by right. When we take something for granted, we often forget our power, strength and authority is a gift and a blessing, not a right. The Creator is generous and is not bound by the shallow and greedy nature of humanity.

A Litany for Sunday

Generous and loving Creator, you give us authority

so we might care for the lost and the downtrodden

you strengthen and bless us with your Holy Spirit

so our hearts might be full of your generosity.