The gospel tells us that those in the synagogue in Capernaum were spellbound by the teachings of Jesus. What about the people in the church of Most Holy Trinity? Are those of us gathered here today spellbound or astonished by the teaching of Jesus? Have we ever been?

It would be so simple to give the easy answer and say, sure, of course, why do you think I’m here? But would that be honest? Unfortunately there are many reasons people come to Mass, and I would be surprised if being “spellbound” by the teaching of Jesus,” was the reason that brought most of us here today.

In fact, I think many Catholics, rather than being spellbound, rather than hearing his words as a “new teaching with authority,” are rather masters at rationalizing his teaching. Be honest, how often and how strongly do Jesus’ teaching affect our day in and day out decisions; how often don’t we excuse ourselves from this teaching or that, because “He couldn’t possibly have meant that literally,” or, “that might have made sense in his day, but certainly not ours”.

Let me give two examples: How spellbound are we when he tells us to love our enemies and to pray for our persecutors? Are we held spellbound when he said to Peter: “those who live by the sword will parish by the sword? How do these and so many other passages in the scriptures, including the commandment ““Thou shat not kill,”affect our attitude toward taking another life including: abortion, war, capital punishment, euthanasia, whatever Is taking another life ok in one instance and not another? Jesus didn’t make any distinctions. Do we? Do his words, in any way, affect our beliefs and our actions? Do we even bother to wrestle with what he said? Or more importantly, Do we know what he said? Do we try to find out? Do we even care?

Another example. This one from today’s political scene: Do we have any responsibility for one another? There are those who insist we do not. There are those who insist we do? What about you and me? Does Jesus’ parable about the man building a bigger barn so he can “eat, drink and be merry” or the story of the rich young man? or the last judgment scene in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s gospel? or any one of the many, many, many similar passages throughout the gospels influence what we do with the gifts god gives us.

“The people were astonished at his teaching for he taught them as one having authority.” Did you ever wonder why many of his contemporaries did hear, and did embrace what he taught, while many others did not? It’s no different today. Some of us do. Some of us don’t? Why? There are probably a lot of reasons, but I think at least part of the answer can be found in Jesus’ cure of the man with an unclean spirit.

There are so many activities distracting us, and so many other voices calling for our attention, that we easily give into the temptation to believe that the promises of those voices are far greater than the promises offered by God,

When that happens an unclean spirit, not unlike the one in our Gospel possesses us and when God’s love calls us to conversion, to a change of heart, to himself, that unclean spirit also cries out: “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” Have you come to destroy us.”

And, we don’t want to hear the rebuke: “Quiet! Come out of him!” because we know the letting go will be convulsive and painful

Today’s liturgy calls us to experience conversion, and let go of the spirit that keeps us from being spellbound by the fullness of his teaching. That requires a certain discipline on our part, a discipline that helps us keep our focus on the Christ, not a discipline in the sense of developing our will power, but a discipline that makes it possible for you and to be so astonished by Jesus’ teaching, that no distraction, no other voice, can take its place as the center of our lives.

Then we will really know what happiness is.