Jesus had a way with heaven. People were amazed at his teaching because he was “a voice that blossoms;” while listening, we became disarmed. And the reason: because he taught with authority.
Jesus is authoritative because he is credible; in him, message and messenger coincide—he says what he is, and he is what he says.
Too often, we are like scribes; we approach the gospel with reason, seem to have understood it, and love every detail, but our existence does not change. Faith is not knowing things but making them become blood and life; just ask the virgin Mary; she didn’t see the nouns; she became a verb.
In the synagogue, the first miracle takes place. A possessed man is praying in the community; he is a Sabbath regular. He had heard a lot of preaching…One can spend a whole life going every Sabbath to synagogue, every Sunday to church, praying and listening to the Word, and yet keep inside a sick heart that does not let itself be reached.
Beautiful and engaging questions follow: What do you, Jesus, have to do with us in our daily lives? You are the Sunday ritual; I was there, but why do you care about my heart?
Have you come to ruin us? The answer is “yes!”: to turn swords down to sickles, spears into plows, opening hard shells that imprisoned the pearl. “Jesus, my sweet ruin,” you ruin my masks and fears and turn pestilent dependence into selfless love.