4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

In a Latin narrative poem, Metamorphoses, a man named Daedalus was shut up in a tower to prevent his knowledge of his Labyrinth from spreading to the public. He could not leave Crete by sea, as the king kept strict watch on all vessels, permitting none to sail without being carefully searched. He set to work to fabricate wings for himself and his young son Icarus. He tied feathers together, from smallest to largest so as to form an increasing surface. He secured the feathers at their midpoints with string and at their bases with wax, and gave the whole a gentle curvature like the wings of a bird. When the work was done, the artist, waving his wings, found himself buoyed upward and hung suspended, poising himself on the beaten air. He next equipped his son in the same manner, and taught him how to fly. When both were prepared for flight, Daedalus warned his son Icarus not to fly too high, because the heat of the sun would melt the wax, nor too low, because the sea foam would soak the feathers. But Icarus ignored instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and the melting wax caused him to fall to his death. The blazing sun softened the wax which held the feathers together and they came off. Icarus fell into the sea and drowned.
This story reminds us of the principle of command and obedience. This principle implies that there exists a Superior-Subordinate Relations. The one who gives the command is supposed to be the superior in the relationship while the one who receives the command is in a subordinate position. The former has to have an authority and at the same time credibility in using his authority. The latter then has the duty to obey whether he feels to like it or not. He who receives the command then is responsible for possible consequences whenever he refuses to obey it.
In our Gospel, Mark 1:21-28, it is said that Jesus taught people as one who had authority. Here it is pointed out that Jesus has authority. Moreover, Jesus showed that he is credible in exercising his authority by rebuking a man with an unclean spirit who eventually obeyed him. People affirmed the authority and credibility of Jesus saying: “With authority Jesus commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." Jesus then reveals that he is superior and it is but proper for us to render him our obedience being his subordinates.
Now the question is what is our attitude to the words of Jesus? Do we obey him? The problem lies on how we can obey him. The problem of obedience exists when we forget who we are before Jesus. We forget that we are his subordinates. By doing this, we listen more to our selves and not to Jesus anymore. Then we are easily tempted and fall into sin because we could no longer hear the voice of Jesus. By following ourselves we become our own boss –our superior. We do not listen anymore to authority and thus we end up living in sin. We become disobedient and insubordinate. So today it is but better for us to know where we stand before Jesus and recognize his authority over us. Let us make Jesus our superior and listen to what he is saying so that we can avoid suffering the consequences of our disobedience. Amen.