the cross is a greater power - 2nd week thursday 2018

The Venerable Bede said in his commentary on this passage in the gospel that not only the demons but also the persons healed and even the apostles were ordered to be silent concerning his identity and his divine powers “lest by the preaching of the majesty of His Divinity, the economy of His Passion should be retarded.” 

This is very true today.  When we only speak of the healing powers of Jesus, when we only speak of his divine powers, people can no longer understand the cross and the power that emanates from that cross – the power of sacrifice, the power of reconciliation, of forgiveness and of love.  The power of divinity is all about healing and miracles and blessings, it’s all about getting what I need and what I want.  Jesus forbids them to speak about his divine power because one cannot understand this power apart from the cross.  We should not forget that suffering, sacrifice, martyrdom, dying to oneself, are all central to the teachings of the Lord and this is communicated to us most profoundly by the cross.