Questionable authority

The homily of Fr. Milanese has always been inspiring to me. The way he interprets the bible passages opens my eyes. For example, in my homily on the Lord's Baptism earlier this month, I interpreted 1Corinthians 1:12 in the light of baptismal practices since John the Baptist. I said that the Christian church was yet to become formal. The baptismal rites of different Christian communities were not yet unified. Borrowing from the Jewish baptismal practices, disciples were baptized and attached to their masters. Therefore, "I belong to Paul" because Paul baptized me and I became his disciples. "I belong to Apollo" because Apollo baptized me and I became his disciples etc. Of course, such a convention would easily lead to factionalism like what was happening in the Church of Corinth. Paul was prompted to write this epistle to reprimand them.

This morning, Fr. Milanese gave a different perspective to the situation. He said that it is natural for people to believe that they are right and the others are right. Therefore, it is understandable that they would borrow from some authority to strengthen their own positions. That explains why believers in the Corinthian Church claimed to belong to different apostles. In hindsight, these apostles were questionable authority. Christ should be our ultimate authority and we should align our position to Jesus' teaching.

Jesus came from the margin of Judaism. He was a marginalized Jew because he was raised in Galilee which was geographically separated from Judaea by Samaria. Gentile influence in Galilee was heavy ever since the time of Isaiah as it was witnessed in Isaiah 9:1. In New Testament time, the situation was no better as shown by the remark of Nathanael in John 1:46. Therefore, Jesus knew very well what it meant to be a social outcast as he himself had been nearly one. No wonder Jesus did not go to Jerusalem to recruit learned scribes or Pharisees to follow him. They were Jewish authorities. Most of them definitely had difficulty in humbling themselves to follow a self proclaimed Rabbi, a carpenter from Galilee. Rather, as it is read in the gospel today, Jesus called his first disciples among fishermen at the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22). They did not have to humble themselves because they were already lowly enough. Their subsequent achievements would scarcely be attributed to their personal qualities and efforts. It had to be the work of God. In short, God's glory is best revealed in the humble and the lowly. Christians can never abandon its roots, the poor, the outcast and the marginalized of the society if they want to stay true with their Master.

Today, the deacons held their monthly gathering in the Officers' Club House in the Stanley Prison. They shared the joy and difficulties in prison ministry. I feel blessed to be able to join them.
Dear Jesus, in visiting the prisoners, we visit You. Amen.