>>I love the liturgy. I love celebrating the Eucharist. I love knowing that the prayer of the church is being prayed and enjoyed and celebrated with all of you who are at home with us at Mercy Home.

One of my favorite prayers in the liturgy, is after the consecration when I hold the host and I say, “Behold, the lamb of God. Behold, Jesus who takes away the sins of the world.”

Behold, Jesus. You know, as we do that we are invited, we are called to become what we behold. We are to become Jesus for others. To be nourishment and hope and healing. We are the body of Christ to go out to others. That’s what we’re called to do. In the way in which we treat one another and the way in which we pray for one another.

So much of the gospel today talks about authority and Jesus’ authority. ‘Authority’ is a pretty interesting term, is it not? Often times, when we think of authority we think of authority in terms of who makes decisions. How people are to behave. Who’s in and who’s out. That is not the authority of Jesus spoken in the gospel.

Interestingly enough, Pope Pius V in a papal, a papal document that came out in 1510 said about the Pope, the vicar of Christ that his authority as pope is to be the servant of the servants of the people of God. The servant of the servants of the people of God.

Jesus authority is servant leadership. He shows His authority by how it is that He interacts with people through love and with compassion and with healing. By inclusion, inviting everyone in. By proclaiming good news. By living a life of integrity. And He invites us to do the same.

We are all called to exercise authority, but an authority as the servants. The servants of the disciples of Jesus Christ called to minister to be present, to bring gladness and joy. That’s what discipleship with authority is all about.

Behold Jesus, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It is what we are to become for others.