By what authority
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where I live and work, so I am proud of my beautiful Caribbean Island. One of the things that this country is passionate about is politics. We expected that political candidates would not say one thing and do another, nor that religious figures would pretend to be politicians nor politicians disguise themselves as religious figures. The country is tired of broken promises, a lack of consistency, verticality, loyalty and justice. This in turn has led to extreme fatigue and weariness that, when added to hurricanes, earthquakes, the pandemic and many other circumstances, means that we cannot find our well-being in any of our political parties.
Speaking once again to politicians and religious leaders, in Matthew 21:23-32 we find a situation like the current one. Jesus knew firsthand about the authority with which the highest ranking religious leaders questioned him: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? (Matthew 21:23). That is why he confronts their reality: If you answer my question, I will answer yours on the authority that I have. Therefore, they did not have the necessary power to confront the authority of Jesus. By this, I mean that no authority stopped Jesus of Nazareth. On the contrary, any authority opposed to the one that guided him, was reason enough to execute forceful, extraordinary, and powerful actions. Perhaps for this reason the Greek word in the original writing for authority, can also be translated as power. What does this say to us today? That those who claim their own authority are nothing more than authoritarians who wish to establish guidelines based on their own and unique criteria, to the detriment of others and with prejudice, making demands that the demanding ones themselves are unable to meet.
Once again, Jesus confronted them with the parable about the father who had two sons. While one of the sons said yes to their father’s request to go into the field, the other said no. The one who answered in the affirmative never arrived, and the one who had said no had a change of mind. Finally, he arrived at his father’s field to live, work, and stay. Which one did the will of God? The one who answered the call, and he has the lead in the Kingdom of the Father. Those are, according to Jesus, the sons and daughters of the Father who, although they might seem late or left behind, who do not advance, who do not follow, who do not arrive in time, who do not deserve it, these are the ones who finish in the lead. Because it is not about who goes first or when they arrive, it is about reaching the Lord’s vineyard; it is about belonging and staying. It is not about saying yes only with words, and then, with actions, doing the opposite of God’s will. Those are the ones who don’t advance.
The same happens in life. Even though it seems that many are ahead of us because we are Hispanic, because we are not bilingual, because we are black, brown, colored, indigenous, women, children, from one party or the other, because we are or are not from the church, from one or the other, or because we belong to many other fields, the reality is that the forefront of the Father's vineyard is led by those who do the will of God. Those who, while unworthy, receive love, service, education and welcome to the Kingdom of Justice. There lies authority and power.
That is why today, when authority, power, and abilities to act in the name of God continue
to be questioned, let us then live by the authority and power of love, compassion, mercy, salvation, freedom, healing, teaching and the love of God. Let us live in the “yes” of the One who, taking the lead, told us “yes” first: Jesus Christ the Lord. So be it. Amen.
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where I live and work, so I am proud of my beautiful Caribbean Island. One of the things that this country is passionate about is politics. We expected that political candidates would not say one thing and do another, nor that religious figures would pretend to be politicians nor politicians disguise themselves as religious figures. The country is tired of broken promises, a lack of consistency, verticality, loyalty and justice. This in turn has led to extreme fatigue and weariness that, when added to hurricanes, earthquakes, the pandemic and many other circumstances, means that we cannot find our well-being in any of our political parties.
Speaking once again to politicians and religious leaders, in Matthew 21:23-32 we find a situation like the current one. Jesus knew firsthand about the authority with which the highest ranking religious leaders questioned him: By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? (Matthew 21:23). That is why he confronts their reality: If you answer my question, I will answer yours on the authority that I have. Therefore, they did not have the necessary power to confront the authority of Jesus. By this, I mean that no authority stopped Jesus of Nazareth. On the contrary, any authority opposed to the one that guided him, was reason enough to execute forceful, extraordinary, and powerful actions. Perhaps for this reason the Greek word in the original writing for authority, can also be translated as power. What does this say to us today? That those who claim their own authority are nothing more than authoritarians who wish to establish guidelines based on their own and unique criteria, to the detriment of others and with prejudice, making demands that the demanding ones themselves are unable to meet.
Once again, Jesus confronted them with the parable about the father who had two sons. While one of the sons said yes to their father’s request to go into the field, the other said no. The one who answered in the affirmative never arrived, and the one who had said no had a change of mind. Finally, he arrived at his father’s field to live, work, and stay. Which one did the will of God? The one who answered the call, and he has the lead in the Kingdom of the Father. Those are, according to Jesus, the sons and daughters of the Father who, although they might seem late or left behind, who do not advance, who do not follow, who do not arrive in time, who do not deserve it, these are the ones who finish in the lead. Because it is not about who goes first or when they arrive, it is about reaching the Lord’s vineyard; it is about belonging and staying. It is not about saying yes only with words, and then, with actions, doing the opposite of God’s will. Those are the ones who don’t advance.
The same happens in life. Even though it seems that many are ahead of us because we are Hispanic, because we are not bilingual, because we are black, brown, colored, indigenous, women, children, from one party or the other, because we are or are not from the church, from one or the other, or because we belong to many other fields, the reality is that the forefront of the Father's vineyard is led by those who do the will of God. Those who, while unworthy, receive love, service, education and welcome to the Kingdom of Justice. There lies authority and power.
That is why today, when authority, power, and abilities to act in the name of God continue
to be questioned, let us then live by the authority and power of love, compassion, mercy, salvation, freedom, healing, teaching and the love of God. Let us live in the “yes” of the One who, taking the lead, told us “yes” first: Jesus Christ the Lord. So be it. Amen.
—Rev. Dr. Marielis Barreto, Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
Aguada, Puerto Rico