Source of true kingship

Friday of week 1 in Ordinary Time, II

Mark 2:1-12 

In the First Reading, the people demanded Samuel to give them a king.  Samuel warned them of the abuses of a king.  Nevertheless they held on to their demand.

In the Gospel, Jesus saw how strong the faith of those who brought the paralytic; thus, he cured him by forgiving his sins.

Let's reflect about kingship.  God doesn't subscribe to giving Israel a king.  He only succumbed to their pressures but he warned them about the abuses of the earthly king.  But in the Gospel, Jesus reiterated what true authority is:  "But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...", Jesus is setting himself as the model of authentic kingship based on three aspects:

First, he is doing his Father's will and not his own.  The people's king is king by himself.  His power overwhelms him.  Jesus' power stems from doing his Father's will.  God commissioned him to be king.

Second, Jesus teaches us about discipleship.  A disciple is a follower of God.  Every king, in order to exercise kingship most justly, has to root himself in Jesus.  He should desire to follow him instead of simply ruling people.

Third, Jesus' kingship is manifested in humble service.  By focusing on the forgiveness of sin, Jesus started curing the person from the inside.  Thus, his power is not just for show;  he truly intends to serve by curing the sick person's interior self.

All these give credence to kingship that roots itself tightly to Jesus, the source of true power.

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