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January 29, 2012
“I know who you are...”
The Gospel of St. Mark is characterized by a device that recurs through the text, known as the ‘Marcan (or Messianic) secret’, by which Jesus repeatedly cautions others not to reveal His identity. The incident described in today’s passage sets the stage for Mark’s introduction of this device, which at first may seem puzzling: didn’t Jesus come precisely to make Himself known? But the issue appears to arise out of the basis on which His identity as Messiah is proclaimed or affirmed. Often it comes in the aftermath of a display of Jesus’ miraculous power, as in this exorcism of a man possessed by a demon. The scene is the synagogue at Capernaum, where Jesus was relatively familiar. We hear that the people - many of whom may have thought they ‘knew’ Jesus - were “astonished at his teaching”, because of the air of authority with which He spoke, so unlike the style of the professional scribes. Then the demon itself cries out in recognition of Jesus as “the Holy One of God”. After the demon is expelled, the crowd’s astonishment deepens, but we get the sense that Jesus’ fame begins to spread because of His much-reported deeds, not because of an acknowledgment that Jesus is, in fact, “the Holy One of God”.
Indeed, in time those very same people who think they ‘know’ Jesus will turn and reject Him on account of His sharp, authoritative criticisms of their behavior. Jesus later is careful to warn those who, like His apostles or the beneficiaries of His healing power, jump to the ‘obvious’ conclusion that He is the Messiah, and instructs them, sometimes sternly, not to reveal Him. It becomes clear that, for Jesus, an authentic profession of faith must not derive from a display of His miraculous power alone, but must be tempered by an experience of His suffering and death. If then one can acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, it must be the work of the Holy Spirit. We are challenged still to recognize Jesus’ being revealed as Messiah most definitively on the Cross: that is the mystery at the heart of our Eucharistic celebration.
Catholic Schools Week begins today, an opportunity for us to commend the vital contribution made by Catholic elementary and high schools, and particularly by our own St. Michael’s School, for more than 80 years an educational environment rooted in our Catholic faith and focused on the development of the whole person in each student. That tradition continues here, thanks to a dedicated administration and faculty and a community of parents and students committed to utilizing and sacrificing for the choice of a faith-based education.
Our parish is rightly proud of our School, which receives significant annual support from our parishioners and other donors. I invite you to visit our School to see the great work that takes place there each day, and I strongly encourage parents of school-age children to consider St. Michael’s School as the best option for providing them with an excellent experience in overall learning and faith-formation.
God love you!
Msgr. Tim Shugrue
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