And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region

4 SEPTEMBER (Lk 4,31-37)

The real fame of a man is his closeness to God. The more he comes close to God and the more his name will be the great on earth. The fame of Jesus is very high, it exceeds all other names, due to his total obedience to his God and Lord. That is how the Psalm goes.

He who fears the Lord will do this; he who is practiced in the law will come to wisdom. Motherlike she will meet him, like a young bride she will embrace him, Nourish him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of learning to drink. He will lean upon her and not fall, he will trust in her and not be put to shame. She will exalt him above his fellows; in the assembly she will make him eloquent. Joy and gladness he will find, an everlasting name inherit. Worthless men will not attain to her, haughty men will not behold her. Far from the impious is she, not to be spoken of by liars. Unseemly is praise on a sinner’s lips, for it is not accorded to him by God. But praise is offered by the wise man’s tongue; its rightful steward will proclaim it. (Sir 15,1-10).

St. Paul says that the name of Jesus is so high because of his obedience, as to require that every name bends, bows down in heaven, on earth, and in hell.

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2,5-11).

The Epistle to the Hebrews teaches also this truth on the name of Jesus.

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Hebrews 1,1-4).
There is an ephemeral fame, a fleeting, vain glory, a name only great for this world. Whatever does not last for eternity, has no value to us. The fame of Jesus is universal, eternal, imperishable, and immortal. Every man must recognize it. In its presence he must bow, prostrate, confessing him as Lord of his own life, his Redeemer and Saviour, his one and only true Benefactor.

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Jesus is powerful over the visible and invisible things. Even the unclean spirits are subject to him. Suffices one of his commands, and they must leave their prey. His authority and power are truly universal. Nothing might ever resist him. He says and everything is done. He speaks and everything happens. He wants and everything is accomplished. All this happens, comes to pass, is carried out for his proximity to his Father. It is a nearness of most pure obedience. We can say that creation obeys him in the same way in which he obeys his Father. His obedience is instantaneous, immediate, total, with the heart, mind, will, desires, with his whole being and all creation also obeys Him instantly, without even a moment of rejection, rebellion, and indecision.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, Saints make us of immediate obedience.