MMark loves the verb “to teach”, but he rarely reports the content of Jesus’ teaching. The Gospel is not what Jesus says, it is Jesus himself. Therefore, we must not focus our attention on his words or on his gestures, but on his person. So much so that what amazes the crowds is not the content of his teaching, but his quality: “in fact, he taught them as one who has authority, and not like the scribes”. The novelty of the word of Jesus lies in the new creation that he produces, freeing us from evil. In Jesus the authority of the true prophet is manifested, promised by God through Moses: “I will raise up a prophet for them among their brothers and I will put my words in his mouth and he will tell them what I will command him”. The word of Jesus realizes what he says: he silences the impure spirits, he frees those who are prisoners. It allows us to overcome those divisions that appear in our hearts when we fail to remain “faithful to the Lord, without deviations”. Paul recommends this fidelity when speaking of the marital or virginal condition. The real problem, however, is how to preserve the unity of the spirit whatever the existence we live. The impure spirit is always a spirit of division, the Spirit of the Lord is instead the Spirit of unity and communion. For spouses and virgins, for young and old, for lay people and religious…

Commentary by Comunità di Dumenza

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey