Commentary on the Gospel of
Authenticity in Authority
A cardinal ingredient of authority is authenticity. We meet two such people in today’s readings. Jesus, who is authenticity incarnate, talks and acts with authority—he teaches with authority and casts out evil forces with authority. His authenticity is so great that the evil spirits acknowledge him to be who he is and obey him. The other person of authenticity we meet is Hannah who pours out her soul before the Lord and from whom prayer flows as continuously as her very breath. She is bold enough to defend herself before suspicious Eli, who in turn, recognizes her authenticity and blesses her. If the authority of Jesus comes from his authenticity as God, the authority of Hannah comes from her authenticity as a woman of faith standing before God. Those who do not claim their rightful authenticity and authority before God and the world can only sit around and get astonished.
