(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
The question for today is, “By whose authority do you do this?” We could have asked this of Jesus; we could have asked if of John the Baptist; We could have asked it of Balaam from the reading above. We should also be asking it of ourselves. We know John the Baptist and we know Jesus, but do we know Balaam?
Balaam was a pagan seer or prophet. He was summoned by King Balak of Moab and told to curse the Israelites. Balaam went, but warned the king that he would only speak what God wanted him to speak. Instead of cursing the Israelites, he pronounced blessings up them. He claimed to see “what the Almighty sees,” and to speak and do the word of the Lord. By whose authority did Balaam speak or act? Much to Balak’s dismay, Balaam spoke with the authority of God.
By whose authority do we do what we do? This is a question we have to ask ourselves. We have no mandate on our own authority.