The thoughts of Dr. Jakubinyi György Archbishop Emeritus
Monday, December 13: Saint Lucia, virgin and martyr. Mt 21,23-27: Where does Jesus' power come from?
It is a Semitic characteristic to answer a question with a question. This is what the Lord Jesus does when on Palm Sunday he expels the vendors from the temple in Jerusalem, and is called to account by the High Council. He will only answer if they also tell him whether the mission of John the Baptist was from God or from men? The Lord Jesus' question must be understood as: you have the right to hold me responsible only if you can judge contemporary events. The Pharisees dare not answer as they do not recognise the heavenly mission of John the Baptist, although the people considered him a prophet. For us the answer is obvious: the Lord Jesus is true God and true man, the incarnate second divine person, the Son who redeemed the world. This is our faith, and it is for this faith that the martyrs, like Saint Lucia, the virgin of Syracuse, sacrificed their life.
