Understanding Authority and Power from Moses to Jesus

Julie South [00:00:05]:
Welcome to your Catholic Corner. I'm your show host, Julie south. Your catholic corner helps Catholics spiritually prepare for each Sunday's mass starting midweek each week. You can listen to your catholic corner@yourcatholiccorner.com today we're uncovering the biblical gems hidden in the books of Deuteronomy. We continue reading from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. And we continue also with Mark's gospel in catholic speak. We're in the fourth week of ordinary time in year B. To kick off, we're going to start with this week's listener question of the week, and thank you.

Julie South [00:00:52]:
That question is, how does Catholicism differ from other christian faiths? And remember, please, that when two or more are gathered in Jesus'name like we are now with you and me, he is here with us. We're going to look at a bit of history or a bit of background with today's deuteronomy passage so that you can understand a little bit more about it other than the words that we're actually reading today. Then we're going to listen to each of the Bible passages. So we've got deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses 15 to 21, corinthians, chapter seven, verses 32 to 35, and Mark's Gospel, chapter one, verses 21 to 28. Then I'm going to share what I hear God saying to me through Moses, author of Deuteronomy, St. Paul and Mark, and some metaphors. Lots to go through.

Julie South [00:01:55]:
But before that, a quick word about your catholic corner, just in case this is your first time here, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey.

Julie South [00:02:06]:
Whether you've only just heard of that.

Julie South [00:02:08]:
Man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism or you're a cradle Catholic. My prayer is that your catholic corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections, and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday we'll start preparing for mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings, from Old Testament prophecies to gospel parables. I invite you to join me and the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your catholic corner so that together we can hear God's word and echo. Samuel, speak. Lord, your servant is listening. Now let's get back to today's show.

Julie South [00:02:57]:
How does Catholicism differ from other christian faiths? This is a question I asked often way back when I first started going to mass with Alan, and I'm sure he got sick of me asking, especially every time, when I found out that there was yet another form of Christianity that I'd never heard of. There are lots of differences, but I'm just going to focus on what are really the main differences. Us Catholics believe that Jesus instituted the seven sacraments as channels of grace for the faithful. That's for us believers. These sacraments are baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, also known as penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and matrimony. Catholics hold that their sacraments were either directly established by Jesus or have their roots in his ministry. Other christian denominations have varying views on sacraments. Some recognize them as being important, while others don't think that they're important at all.

Julie South [00:04:06]:
For example, the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. Like us Catholics, these churches recognize sacraments except they call them holy mysteries in the east, and to them they are still a means of grace. Like Catholics, they also affirm seven sacraments similar to those that I just mentioned. And they also believe that many of them were instituted by Christ, such as, for example, the Eucharist or the last Supper and baptism. The protestant churches protestant beliefs about sacraments vary widely. Protestant has its root from the word protesting today. These are churches formed by the original protesters of the catholic faith back in about the early 16th century. For example, the reason we have the Church of England, of which King Charles III is now the head, is because King Henry VIII gave the then Catholic Church a one fingered salute to the pope at the time, who was Pope Clement VII, because that Pope forbid King Henry from remarrying again.

Julie South [00:05:17]:
So King Henry started his own church, the Church of England. So there are lots of churches that have been started by people protesting against the Protestants, protesting against Catholicism. But back to the differences between the main christian denominations and Catholicism. Lutherans typically recognize two sacraments, baptism and the Eucharist, or the Lord's supper, as they call it, which they believe were instituted by Christ. Some lutheran traditions also acknowledge other rites as sacramental or having a sacramental character, for example, the confession and absolution. Anglicans, including the Eposcopal Church, traditionally recognize two primary sacraments, baptism and Eucharist. They generally see them as being necessary for salvation and instituted by Christ. They also acknowledge five other sacramental rites that may be considered sacraments by some but are not generally necessary for salvation.

Julie South [00:06:21]:
Then we have the reformed Christians, including Presbyterians and many others. In the reformed tradition, they generally recognize two sacraments as well, baptism and the Lord's supper. And they view these as signs and seals of God's covenant, grace his covenantal grace and that they were instituted by Christ. The Baptists and many non denominational churches often refer to baptism and the Lord's supper as ordinances rather than sacraments. They are seen as symbolic acts of obedience to Christ's commands rather than as a means of grace. And then we have the Methodists and other wesleyan traditions, and these also recognize two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper, as being instituted by Christ. But they also acknowledge that other acts of worship can be means of grace. There are tens of thousands of different christian churches in the world, but only a few mainstream ones, of which Catholic is the single largest christian denomination.

Julie South [00:07:33]:
Therefore, at its most basic, the simplest answer to what's the difference? What's different about the catholic faith between Catholicism and other christian denominations is that Catholics believe in seven sacraments instituted by Jesus, whereas other denominations vary in their recognition of what actually constitutes a sacrament, how many there are, and in their theological significance. The common thread, though, across most christian traditions, is the belief that Jesus commanded certain practices that hold spiritual significance for believers. Today's Bible passages we are reading from deuteronomy, from first corinthians, and the Gospel of Mark. What is the connecting thread between each of these three, or the first and the second? What does that look like? As I have said many times, one of the places I go to look for that thread is to start with a responsorial psalm that goes with the Sunday's mass today. The psalm's response is we're talking the fourth Sunday of ordinary time. Here is if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Does that give us any hints? Yes and no. Psalm 91, verses one and two and six through nine is a call for God's vengeance against the wicked and a recognition of God's justice and omniscience.

Julie South [00:09:23]:
I don't get much of a connection between all three of the Bible passages today, but there is, surprise, surprise, a connection between the first Old Testament passage and the New Testament gospel passage, which is what we expect, because there's always a connection, and it's why those two specific passages are always put together between deuteronomy and Mark's gospel. When we look at them from the context of prophecy and fulfillment, they make sense. They the in with each other. In deuteronomy 18, chapter 18, verses 15 to 20, Moses speaks of a prophet whom God will raise up from among the Israelites, one like Moses, whom the people should listen to. This passage is traditionally seen by christians as a messianic prophecy. It points towards the coming of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes the role of a mediator between God and the people, someone who will speak the words of God faithfully and whom the people must heed. Then, in Mark's gospel, chapter one, verses 21 through 28, Jesus is portrayed as teaching in the synagogue with authority.

Julie South [00:10:46]:
He casts out an unclean spirit, and the unclean spirit is casted out, so it does what it's told. The reaction of the people is one of astonishment, because Jesus taught them as one who had authority. He didn't teach them as if he was one of the scribes. What Jesus said happened. The unclean spirit left the man. What we have here is a demonstration that Jesus was recognized as having an extraordinary connection to divine wisdom and power. The authority of Jesus's teaching and his power to perform miracles authenticated his role as the prophet, just like Moses foretold in deuteronomy. The connection, therefore, between these two passages, deuteronomy and Mark's gospel, is Jesus'fulfillment of the role of the promised prophet, just like it was foretold by Moses.

Julie South [00:11:52]:
Jesus is the one who speaks with God's authority, just as Moses did. But even more so, Jesus has the power, God's power, to perform signs and wonders that show his divine mission. In both of these passages, the emphasis is on the authority given by God to his chosen messenger, Moses as the giver of the law, and Jesus as the one who fulfills and not only fulfills it, but transcends it. As we read these passages later in a bit, listen out for the authority and the prophecy references and the connections between the first biblical passage and then the third one, the gospel. Now let's look at the book of Deuteronomy, but in a totally, completely different way, I'm sure, to anything that you've ever considered before. I'm going to give my age away here a bit. One of my all time favorite musicals is Andrew Lloyd Weber's cats in the 1980s, or from the 1980s. Maybe you saw it, too.

Julie South [00:13:12]:
I saw it in Sydney. It was awesome. It was amazing. I had fantastic seats. If you didn't see it, I'm sure that you'll recognize some of the songs from it. Cats is based on T. S. Elliot's old Possum's book of practical cats.

Julie South [00:13:29]:
One of the characters is a cat named OlD Deuteronomy. It's no surprise, really, because T. S. Eliot was quite strongly christian. Old Deuteronomy's. That's the name. OlD Deuteronomy. OlD Deuteronomy's cat's name draws inspiration from the biblical book of Deuteronomy.

Julie South [00:13:50]:
As I've mentioned before on your CatHOlIc corner, this particular biblical book is a collection of speeches by moses that reiterates the law and guidance for the Israelites. OLD Deuteronomy and cats is portrayed as a wise old cat who's respected by all the other cats in the Jellicle tribe. Jellicle cats are fictional felines that had very distinctive black and white fur. Each Jellicle cat has a very unique personality and their own talents. OlD Deuteronomy is seen as a leader and a father figure, much like Moses, is central guiding figure for the IsraeLites. OLD DeutEronomy, his name signifies his role as the source of wisdom and tradition. In the musIcal, he's the cat responsible for making the Jellicle choice, the decision of which cat will ascend to the heavy side layer to be reborn into a new life. I went to see cats way before I became Catholic, back when I lived in the dark, back when I had no idea Deuteronomy was the name of a book in the Bible.

Julie South [00:15:12]:
I always thought it was some foreign human name, but it's not. That name was inspired because of its biblical reference, its allusion to authority and law giving it mirrors old Deuteronomy's position in the cat's musical as the judge, the arbiter of the cat's destiny, and as a figure of great respect and moral authority within the cat community, just like Moses with the Israelites. So with that different take on Deuteronomy, let's now look at some of the biblical passages today, but let's look at the metaphors. And today we're going to go a little bit deeper, hopefully, than the obvious metaphors. And let's just see what God might be saying to us in Deuteronomy in chapter 18, verses 1520. This passage doesn't really contain explicit metaphors, but it operates on a metaphorical level in the sense that the prophet is seen as the mouthpiece for God. The idea that someone will speak with God's words suggests a blending of identities between the divine and the human, which is metaphorical in nature. The prophet is not literally God, but he speaks as if he were conveying God's message to the people.

Julie South [00:16:52]:
Also, the primary metaphorical concept in the book of Deuteronomy that we're reading from today is the prophet. As a bridge between God and the people. The prophet kind of symbolizes the connection and the communication channel through which divine will and guidance are delivered to humanity. Additionally, the idea of hearing and I've got hearing and air quotes. The idea of hearing God's words through the prophet can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual obedience and discernment. In the first corinthians, we've got Paul giving advice about marriage and concerns of the world versus serving the Lord without distraction. Now, while not explicitly metaphorical, I actually looked a bit further into how marriage could be symbolic. So we'll have a look at that later as well.

Julie South [00:17:52]:
With Paul's discussion about marriage and concerns, it can be. He kind of contrasts the divided interests of a married person with the undivided devotion of a single person. Paul is saying that if you're married, then you are split between the things of the world, your spouse and God. You've got lots of dividing and competing influences on your time, so how are you going to spend them? So that's in the first of corinthians and then in Mark's Gospel, we've got Jesus's authority over unclean spirits. The unclean spirit recognizes Jesus as and his divine authority. I know who you are, the holy one of God. It says it's powerful and Jesus'power to purify and restore individuals, us, you, me, to a state of spiritual wholeness. We've also got the narrative going on in the synagogue where Jesus teaches.

Julie South [00:19:01]:
This could symbolize the place of established religion, where his new teachings, characterized by authority, represent a new order or a new covenant. So they've got the unclean spirit representing not only literal spiritual affliction, but also metaphorically standing for the forces of chaos and evil that Jesus has power over. Jesus'command over the unclean spirit is symbolic of his sovereignty over all things, all realms, physical and spiritual. Now, I mentioned just now about the Paul's reference in his letter to the church of Corinth. He was talking about marriage. So let's look at what marriage can be in a broader biblical context, because when marriage is referenced in the Bible, there are rich metaphors, more than just the covenantal relationship that we frequently use it for, the metaphor that it stands for, which is the relationship between God and his people. In the Old Testament, Israel is often depicted as the bride and God is the husband. In the New Testament, which is how we are hearing it today, the imagery is extended to the church as the bride of Christ, with Jesus as the bridegroom.

Julie South [00:20:30]:
We also have with marriage, we also have Christ's love for the church. We've got unity and oneness, where marriage represents the unity and oneness that is both an ideal in human relationships and a spiritual reality in the believer's union with Christ, with Jesus, with God. The joining of two individuals in a marriage also reflects the spiritual truth of believers being joined with Christ. Marriage also is about faithfulness and commitment, and it's a symbol of the fidelity and the steadfastness that we should have in our relationship with God. And then we've got community and fellowship, because marriage is more than just one person, right? Marriage. It symbolizes the importance of community, of fellowship, the interconnectedness of believers. Just as marriage involves partnership and sharing life together, so does life in the body of Christ. So those are some of the metaphors for you to listen out for and to maybe discern on with all of those metaphors that we've just gone through and symbolism giving you some background and context.

Julie South [00:22:03]:
Let's now pray together and listen to God's word. Via Moses, St. Paul and St. Mark, a reading from the book of deuteronomy. Moses said to the people, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself from among yourselves, from your own brothers. To him you must listen. This is what your yourselves asked of the Lord your God at horeb on the day of the assembly. Do not let me hear again.

Julie South [00:22:40]:
You said the voice of the Lord, my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die. And the Lord said to me, all they have spoken is well said. I will raise up a prophet like yourself for them from their own brothers. I will put my words into his mouth, and he shall tell them all I command. The man who does not listen to my words, that he speaks in my name, shall be held answerable to me for it. But the prophet who presumes to say in my name a thing I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. The word of the Lording from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, I would like to see you free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord's affairs.

Julie South [00:23:54]:
All he need worry about is pleasing the Lord. But a married man has to bother about the world's affairs and devote himself to pleasing his wife. He is torn two ways. In the same way, an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord's affairs. All she needs worry about is being holy in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about the world's affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband. I say this only to help you, not to put a halter around your necks. But simply to make sure that everything is as it should be and that you give your undivided attention to the Lord.

Julie South [00:24:37]:
The word of the Lord, you. A reading from the gospel according to Mark. Jesus and his disciples went as far as capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath came, he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them, because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority. In this synagogue just then, there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and it shouted, what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God. But Jesus said sharply, be quiet. Come out of him. And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went south of him.

Julie South [00:25:35]:
The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. Here is a teaching that is new, they said, and with authority behind it. He gives orders even to unclean spirits, and they obey him. And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere through all the surrounding galilean countryside. The gospel of the Lord. What was God saying to you? Remember that we each hear God differently depending on what's going on in your lives at the time. What God is saying to me might not be what God is saying to you. At today's first pass of reading these readings, for me, it was easy for me to think, well, I thought that way, that there really wasn't that much going on that might relate to me today here in the 21st century.

Julie South [00:26:41]:
But when you look a bit deeper, when I looked a bit deeper and I listened with my heart and not so much my head, here are some of the possibilities of the messages that I thought maybe God was giving to me from those Bible passages, from deuteronomy. To seek wise counsel, to actively look from guidance, from people who have demonstrated wisdom and integrity, just like old Deuteronomy, the jlical cat. And with that comes discernment for me. Before accepting someone's advice or following a leader, to stop and check, we've got false news here. We've got disinformation, misinformation everywhere we go. Sometimes it's hard to know what's for real. So when we see somebody talking to check their words and their actions and that they line up not only with our values, but that are important to me, to you, to us, but do they actually walk the talk? So discernment is a bit is required, perhaps then, from Paul to the corinthians, maybe it could be to set priorities, do I reflect often enough on my current, ever growing lists of obligations and my passions, my happy places to decide what truly matters to me. And then how do I prioritize my time and energy, and especially with that, how do I prioritize all of those things in my marriage and then in my spiritual relationship with God? Could I do this more in line with what God wants of me as a faithful married woman? Where do my priorities lay? Do I devote enough time to God? Or do I faff around worrying about worldly matters over which I have no control? And then from Mark what is my assertiveness like when I face challenges like Jesus did with that unclean spirit? Do I stand up for what I believe is right? Do I really? Or do I think something along of not in my backyard? Or maybe somebody else can take care of that? What is my assertiveness like? Do I stand up for what I think is the right thing to stand up for being mindful of where I devote my energy? Am I putting it in the places that best honor God? Can I help others more? Perhaps? What is the modern day equivalent of casting out clean spirits? Can I help alleviate others burdens more than I do now? What about you? What was God saying to you? I hope you found all this interesting and helpful.

Julie South [00:29:35]:
I hope this podcast helps you prepare and maybe even understand, just a teeny, tiny, incy wincy dinky bit better, the wonderful world of God and the catholic faith. Thank you for spending the last half an hour or so of your life with God, moses, Paul, Mark, and me. I pray that each of these men, coupled with my history and my context and my old deuteronomy story, has been able to make a bit of difference. That God wishes for you today in its own way, in your life. Thank you for getting this far. Can I ask you to do me a huge favor? Please? If you enjoyed today's show, can you please help me spread God's word about your catholic corner? It's really easy. All you have to do is tell your friends and family about this podcast so they can hopefully benefit as well. Letting them know is easy.

Julie South [00:30:35]:
Just invite them to visit yourcatholiccorner.com where they can subscribe and follow the show. From there, it's free. It really doesn't cost a cent. Thank you very much for doing that. Wherever you are, I pray that God's glass of love overflows in your heart and your life, and that when you're ready, you're able to accept God's invitation to you to join him, to share in Holy Communion this week at your local parish. And finally, I'd like to say thank you to the parishioners of the cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, who helped me bring this podcast to you today. This is Julie south signing off until next week. Peace be with you.

Julie South [00:31:23]:
God bless.