1st Week in Ordinary Time (Year A) : Tuesday 10th January 2023

The reputation of Jesus spreads rapidly because His teaching is new, and He teaches with authority, and He gives orders to unclean spirits, and they obey Him. Even though Jesus is a man, the people are astonished at His teaching, which leaves a deep impression on them, unlike the teachings of other men, the scribes.

The psalmist asks the meaning of man to God, which is repeated by the author of the Letter to the Hebrews today, “What is man that You should keep him in mind, mortal man that You care for Him? Yet You have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour, You crowned him, gave him power over the works of Your hand, put all things under his feet.” Yes, there is a gift and great privilege to be created as humans in the image and likeness of God.

However, in Jesus, we have one who was made lower than the angels for a short while and is now crowned with glory and splendour because He submitted to death. This Jesus, who teaches with authority and has power over unclean spirits, is both God and man. Therefore, Jesus is not just any mere man. He is both God and man. It is appropriate then that the one who sanctifies, and the ones who are sanctified, are of the same stock (Heb 2:11). And Jesus openly calls us His brothers and sisters. Jesus came down to be human to bring us up into His glory. What we are now as humans, we will be like Jesus in the future.

Jesus, our Brother, let us be more like You in everything.