Epiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
January 31, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-28

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  — Mark 1:21-22

 My first supervisor when I began my career as a social worker gave me some sage advice. She said, and I quote, “Marilynn, when you express your opinion about anything you sound like you are quoting from the Bible. In the future I want you to start your comments with the phrase, ‘In my opinion.’ Or something like that.” I actually worked really hard at incorporating such a phrase but apparently I can even say “In my opinion” with enough authority that it negates my saying it.

It is important that we not totally turn off our listeners by being overbearing or just being wrong at the top of our voices. I hear a lot of that on the news talk shows and in interviews with some of our national and religious leaders. I, however, was struck as I read our scripture for today by the statement for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Were the scribes so caught up in their theological discourses that they had lost sight of setting the tone for the life of faith?

I keep coming back to this same idea that we are so caught up in declaring what are right beliefs that we have lost momentum in living our faith. Jesus taught by word and by deed how the people of God are to live.

Prayer: Lord strengthen my faith and the way I live it and, as always, guard my tongue, O Lord, guard my tongue so that the words of my mouth are pleasing to you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.