You are God's prophet
Gospel Reflection
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
Today, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are being challenged to live out our being prophets. In baptism we have been annointed to share in the threefold mission of our lord, Jesus Christ, as king, priest, and prophet. Today, our focus is on living out our being prophets.
This is really difficult, aside from our multitude of objections like "I dont have the confidence to talk in front of people", "I am a peacemaker so I better be quite rather than suffer the ire, the anger, the bad side of people in power", "I am too poor to say anything", aside from objections like these, there is also the reality of fear - fear of those in power to retaliate, fear that people would be angry with you for pointing out their mistakes, their wrong doings, but then this is our mission. How can the Kingdom of God descend and become a reality if we are complacent with our mission? How can we say that we love God of we are able to tolerate the suffering all around us, unneccesary suffering if only we truly live out our being followers of Christ - to care and to have concern for those in need.
It seems that these days those who are living out the prophetic life are those people whom we accuse to be godless, to be athiests. I am talking about political acrivists who stand against those who are in power because they could not stand the injustice and the culture of impunity that is prevalent, that continues to rule our world.
On July 11 we remember the Fr. Rudy Romano, a Redemptorist priest who, in 1985, was disappeared, abducted by military agents at the height of the abusive martial law years of Dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Fr. Romano stood for the poor, he became the voice of the victims of abuse, those who were persecuted and those calling for justice.
When his father, a former mayor in Western Samar, Gauden, asked him to stop his involvement with activists and the social movement, in helping the poor, he replied:
“They go to the priest, they go to the Church, they go to me – that is why I am their voice. I am fighting in their behalf.”
Fr. Romano was truly living out his prophetic mission in the church. He was not afraid, and although this cost him his life, his life continues to inspire us priests, religious, and lay workers of our church to continue helping those who are in need.
Today we are reminded of our being prophets, to stand for what is right and to be strong and to not be afraid, to trust in the Lord our God who has given us this mission.
God warned Prophet Ezekiel in our first reading that he will be persecuted because of the prophetic message that he brings, he may not be able to convert people to do what is right, but definitely they will come to realize that he is a prophet sent by God.
When Jesus preached and performed miracles in his own town, people were impressed, people were convinced but then realizing the lowliness of Christ, that Jesus is a simple carpenter from a poor family, the leaders, the elite who studied the laws and prophets were insulted at the wisdom of Christ. "Who is this carpenter who had no formal education, to tell us that we are wrong?" They were filled with pride, they could not see, much more accept, their wrong doings. Or maybe they were afraid that if they admit their sins and change their ways, they may no longer be able to enjoy the privilege that they were enjoying.
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Today, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are being challenged to live out our being prophets. In baptism we have been annointed to share in the threefold mission of our lord, Jesus Christ, as king, priest, and prophet. Today, our focus is on living out our being prophets.
This is really difficult, aside from our multitude of objections like "I dont have the confidence to talk in front of people", "I am a peacemaker so I better be quite rather than suffer the ire, the anger, the bad side of people in power", "I am too poor to say anything", aside from objections like these, there is also the reality of fear - fear of those in power to retaliate, fear that people would be angry with you for pointing out their mistakes, their wrong doings, but then this is our mission. How can the Kingdom of God descend and become a reality if we are complacent with our mission? How can we say that we love God of we are able to tolerate the suffering all around us, unneccesary suffering if only we truly live out our being followers of Christ - to care and to have concern for those in need.
It seems that these days those who are living out the prophetic life are those people whom we accuse to be godless, to be athiests. I am talking about political acrivists who stand against those who are in power because they could not stand the injustice and the culture of impunity that is prevalent, that continues to rule our world.
On July 11 we remember the Fr. Rudy Romano, a Redemptorist priest who, in 1985, was disappeared, abducted by military agents at the height of the abusive martial law years of Dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Fr. Romano stood for the poor, he became the voice of the victims of abuse, those who were persecuted and those calling for justice.
When his father, a former mayor in Western Samar, Gauden, asked him to stop his involvement with activists and the social movement, in helping the poor, he replied:
“They go to the priest, they go to the Church, they go to me – that is why I am their voice. I am fighting in their behalf.”
Fr. Romano was truly living out his prophetic mission in the church. He was not afraid, and although this cost him his life, his life continues to inspire us priests, religious, and lay workers of our church to continue helping those who are in need.
Today we are reminded of our being prophets, to stand for what is right and to be strong and to not be afraid, to trust in the Lord our God who has given us this mission.
God warned Prophet Ezekiel in our first reading that he will be persecuted because of the prophetic message that he brings, he may not be able to convert people to do what is right, but definitely they will come to realize that he is a prophet sent by God.
When Jesus preached and performed miracles in his own town, people were impressed, people were convinced but then realizing the lowliness of Christ, that Jesus is a simple carpenter from a poor family, the leaders, the elite who studied the laws and prophets were insulted at the wisdom of Christ. "Who is this carpenter who had no formal education, to tell us that we are wrong?" They were filled with pride, they could not see, much more accept, their wrong doings. Or maybe they were afraid that if they admit their sins and change their ways, they may no longer be able to enjoy the privilege that they were enjoying.
Jesus paid the price of his being a prophet, for standing for truth with his life, and in the process we received salvation.
Yes there were times when Jesus was afraid, "Take this cup away from me, Father," he prayed, but his vision was on the future kingdom, he had full faith in the Father, in the Father's love for him, and so he said, "but let your will be done."
Be a prophet, my dear brothers and sisters. Do not be afraid to denounce evil, have faith in the Father. Let us see our mission with the eyes of Christ, the future kingdom that we are building as a church. A kingdom that is not so far in the future, if only we truly live out our lives as true followers of Christ.
Yes there were times when Jesus was afraid, "Take this cup away from me, Father," he prayed, but his vision was on the future kingdom, he had full faith in the Father, in the Father's love for him, and so he said, "but let your will be done."
Be a prophet, my dear brothers and sisters. Do not be afraid to denounce evil, have faith in the Father. Let us see our mission with the eyes of Christ, the future kingdom that we are building as a church. A kingdom that is not so far in the future, if only we truly live out our lives as true followers of Christ.
Photo from Scala News.
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