Lectionary Readings are from the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.
Saturday night, we celebrated the Parish Feast Day of Saint Michael the Archangel (normally 29 September), but we used the Sunday readings. On Sunday the whole Mass will be the regular Sunday Mass for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
1. Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! (Numbers 11:29). These words spoken by Moses to Joshua, have been fulfilled in the sacrament of Baptism. At least in terms of through Baptism, God has bestowed the gift of His Spirit upon each one of us and chosen us to be part of His prophetic people. All of us, young or old, regardless of our situation are entrusted with the mission to be a prophet of the Most High God.
2. But what is a prophet? Some would define a prophet as someone who is able to announce future events before they happen. Certainly this could be part of a prophetic utterance. But in the ancient world people went to the Oracle at Delphi for that kind of prophecy, so telling is not really the main task of a prophet in the Judeo Christian tradition. A prophet is one who announces God’s word to others. But prophecy is not a matter of simply proclaiming out loud the words of the Bible- although that too is part of it. For example, if someone was to record themselves reading the whole Bible out loud so as to distribute it to others, that fact alone would not mean that they were a prophet. Anyone can read words on a page.
3. The other day, I heard someone define a prophet as someone who speaks the Truth. That is a very good definition, as long as we understand that Truth is objectively real. Truth is not a matter of majority opinion, nor is truth something that seems true to me, but could be different for you. For something to be true, it must always be true for everyone in every situation, and does not depend on others believing it to have the power of the truth. To speak the Truth means to speak the word of God, not only in proclaiming the Bible, but in applying God’s word to the particular circumstances of life.
4. Observe the second reading from the Letter of James. He is being a prophetic witness in rebuking those who would build up treasure on earth and neglect the treasure in heaven. He reproves those who have obtained these goods at the expense of those who are poor and weak. Their stored up worldly wealth will serve to condemn those who trust in anything other than God. James continues by stating You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance (James 5:6). That is, these sins against charity have been violence against Jesus Christ Himself, who has aligned Himself with the poorest of the poor.
5. In the Gospel, Jesus likewise warns those who would lead children or other “little ones” into sin. It would be better to be drowned than to cause others to sin. The sayings about cutting one’s foot or hand off or one’s eyes, the Church does not interpret as Jesus asking us to mutilate ourselves. Rather, Jesus is warning us that Hell is a real possibility and that nothing is worth losing the kingdom of heaven.
6. Being a prophetic witness is not all about saying things that sound negative, for the Truth of God’s Word is freeing. In the Gospel, Jesus likewise says that Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. How easy it is to gain a reward: simply to serve others out of love for Christ. Just before this Gospel passage, Jesus told His disciples that welcoming a child was the same as welcoming Him. These truths that we can live and proclaim are also part of being a prophet.
7. So when we stand up for the rights of the downtrodden- such as the elderly, the sick, the children, the unborn, the persecuted; when we write letters to convince public officials to do the right thing, when we vote according to a well formed Christian conscience, when we teach our children service instead of selfishness, that is being a prophet.
8. This evening as part of our parish feast we are going to honor and bless those who serve us as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical workers. These people have a unique opportunity for public witness of the Truth of God’s love and the reality that we are all created in the Image and Likeness of God. And sometimes, these men and women give their own lives in service of others. To imitate the Living Word of God Jesus Christ in self sacrifice for the good of others is a profound prophetic act.
9. That is most crucial to being a prophet- it is not all about words, but it is about deeds. Jesus did not merely talk about loving our neighbor and forgiving them and obeying the Father. He lived in even unto His own death on the Cross. He did so not only to save those who knew they were poor and weak, but even to save those who shouted for Him to be crucified. At the end of Mass, we will be sent forth in the peace of Christ to proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Showing posts with label prophetic witness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prophetic witness. Show all posts
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Prophetic Witnesses Needed
1. So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD'S bidding. There really is a lot more to what happened than that simple sentence. When God called Jonah to go to Ninevah, Jonah did not want to go. Ninevah was a foreign city. They were not his people and Jonah did not like them. He did not want to warn them of the impending disaster resulting from their sins. So he ran away and got on a boat to go as far away as he could. It was then that the Lord caused the great sea storm and Jonah was thrown overboard where he spent time in the belly of the giant fish, who then deposited Jonah close to the city of Ninevah. Only then did Jonah make ready to do God’s will and preach to the city.
2. Jonah did not even ask them to repent, he simply announced forty days more and Ninevah shall be destroyed. One can imagine that people questioned him about where he got that information. But in any event, the people of Ninevah when confronted with their impending doom, repented of their sins in the hope that God would have mercy upon them. And God did have mercy upon them and did not destroy them.
3. What is strange is that God’s mercy angered Jonah. Jonah wanted to see the destruction of the Ninevites. He even told God that was the reason all along that he, Jonah, did not want to preach, because he knew that God would end up being merciful if the Ninevites repented.
4. Of all the prophets in the Old Testament, there were none so successful as Jonah. In the history of Christianity, however, there have been many examples of successful preaching. Saint Juan Diego was instrumental in the conversion of around a million native peoples of Mexico. Saint Francis Xavier baptized thousands and thousands, and even preached in tongues. We have the same baptismal call to be prophetic as they did. We may not believe that we have very much to say or do that would be effective. We might even be like Jonah and not want to preach. But it does not matter: we have the call anyway.
5. For most of us, we are not called to foreign lands but to speak out right here and now in this place. Nevertheless our response to the call of God is no less important. If Jonah had not been a sign to the Ninevites, they might have all died in their sins. And if we are not prophetic too, others may die in their sins.
6. In these days, there are many causes for which we could stand up for: stewardship of the environment, economic responsibility and fairness, improvement of the schools among others. There is one issue, however, that we are being called to stand up for that is basic to all these other issues. That is the issue of life. It is very true that many people become uncomfortable when this area is spoken about in church. I mean, if I were to say that God has created each and every human being in His image and likeness and that God loves each person no matter how weak, vulnerable, or apparently unvaluable, everyone would be okay with that. But if I start to say that we must stop the brutal killing of the innocent in the sin of abortion, then the discomfort begins. But being uncomfortable is exactly how we should be. In fact, we should be angry- the innocent are being killed. Who will be next? The elderly? You? Me? Our discomfort, our anger should lead us to confront this grave sin and oppose with all our might.
7. Our response is not something which we should put off. Just yesterday, it was reported that on Friday President Obama, in keeping with his campaign promises, decided to permit Federal funds to be used to promote abortions in other countries. I heard that the FDA was going to permit embryonic stem cell research which would be using human beings for medical experimentation and in its course, destroying them.
7. Anyway, since 1989, there have been people who have been trying to pass the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, or FOCA. This proposed Act of Congress would be very harmful to our country. Contrary to its name, it would remove many freedoms which we now enjoy. For example: a doctor or nurse or hospital could not conscientiously refuse to do an abortion. That means if your son or daughter became a OBGYN, they would be required to perform abortions even if they were opposed on moral or medical grounds. Under FOCA, our tax dollars would be used to fund abortions even if we were opposed. The FOCA would eliminate parental rights with regard to their children having an abortion, including the right to know what happens. Finally, all limits to partial birth abortions would be removed.
8. FOCA itself may become law, or the harmful policies it represents may become law one step at a time. In either case, we must oppose FOCA and all it stands for. Today we have an opportunity to sign and send postcards to our U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators. The message on the cards urges our federal elected officials to oppose FOCA and to retain existing laws against government funding and promotion of abortion. If each of us takes just a few moments to sign the postcards, together we can send an important message to our nation’s Capitol to uphold the sanctity of human life. A man told me this morning that he regularly contacts the representatives. They will personally read the card if there is a handwritten message. So if you can, add a short personal message to increase its effectiveness.
9. Probably, most of the people of our country would not even consider an abortion. And many people feel that it is merely a private matter which should never be discussed in public, especially in church. But what will happen to us if we say nothing? Will we be better Christians? Will our silence make for an improved, hopeful America? When we meet the fifty million children who lives were lost since 1973, will we be able to look them in eye without regret?
10. It may seem as if what we do is not significant, but with God’s help our witness can make a difference not only for the unborn, but for our whole society. God needed Jonah's prophetic preaching in order to save the people of Ninevah. The Lord needs us to act for the good of our country. I believe it was Francis Bacon who said “evil continues when good people say nothing"
12. Don’t be afraid. When I was a teacher in another state, their education association heavily supported planned parenthood, so I refused to join. We received a pay raise and one of the other teachers said that I should not get it, since I refused to pay dues. So I said take it back, I will not accept $3000 if it means the killing of the innocent, so they backed down. Thank you and may God bless you.
2. Jonah did not even ask them to repent, he simply announced forty days more and Ninevah shall be destroyed. One can imagine that people questioned him about where he got that information. But in any event, the people of Ninevah when confronted with their impending doom, repented of their sins in the hope that God would have mercy upon them. And God did have mercy upon them and did not destroy them.
3. What is strange is that God’s mercy angered Jonah. Jonah wanted to see the destruction of the Ninevites. He even told God that was the reason all along that he, Jonah, did not want to preach, because he knew that God would end up being merciful if the Ninevites repented.
4. Of all the prophets in the Old Testament, there were none so successful as Jonah. In the history of Christianity, however, there have been many examples of successful preaching. Saint Juan Diego was instrumental in the conversion of around a million native peoples of Mexico. Saint Francis Xavier baptized thousands and thousands, and even preached in tongues. We have the same baptismal call to be prophetic as they did. We may not believe that we have very much to say or do that would be effective. We might even be like Jonah and not want to preach. But it does not matter: we have the call anyway.
5. For most of us, we are not called to foreign lands but to speak out right here and now in this place. Nevertheless our response to the call of God is no less important. If Jonah had not been a sign to the Ninevites, they might have all died in their sins. And if we are not prophetic too, others may die in their sins.
6. In these days, there are many causes for which we could stand up for: stewardship of the environment, economic responsibility and fairness, improvement of the schools among others. There is one issue, however, that we are being called to stand up for that is basic to all these other issues. That is the issue of life. It is very true that many people become uncomfortable when this area is spoken about in church. I mean, if I were to say that God has created each and every human being in His image and likeness and that God loves each person no matter how weak, vulnerable, or apparently unvaluable, everyone would be okay with that. But if I start to say that we must stop the brutal killing of the innocent in the sin of abortion, then the discomfort begins. But being uncomfortable is exactly how we should be. In fact, we should be angry- the innocent are being killed. Who will be next? The elderly? You? Me? Our discomfort, our anger should lead us to confront this grave sin and oppose with all our might.
7. Our response is not something which we should put off. Just yesterday, it was reported that on Friday President Obama, in keeping with his campaign promises, decided to permit Federal funds to be used to promote abortions in other countries. I heard that the FDA was going to permit embryonic stem cell research which would be using human beings for medical experimentation and in its course, destroying them.
7. Anyway, since 1989, there have been people who have been trying to pass the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, or FOCA. This proposed Act of Congress would be very harmful to our country. Contrary to its name, it would remove many freedoms which we now enjoy. For example: a doctor or nurse or hospital could not conscientiously refuse to do an abortion. That means if your son or daughter became a OBGYN, they would be required to perform abortions even if they were opposed on moral or medical grounds. Under FOCA, our tax dollars would be used to fund abortions even if we were opposed. The FOCA would eliminate parental rights with regard to their children having an abortion, including the right to know what happens. Finally, all limits to partial birth abortions would be removed.
8. FOCA itself may become law, or the harmful policies it represents may become law one step at a time. In either case, we must oppose FOCA and all it stands for. Today we have an opportunity to sign and send postcards to our U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators. The message on the cards urges our federal elected officials to oppose FOCA and to retain existing laws against government funding and promotion of abortion. If each of us takes just a few moments to sign the postcards, together we can send an important message to our nation’s Capitol to uphold the sanctity of human life. A man told me this morning that he regularly contacts the representatives. They will personally read the card if there is a handwritten message. So if you can, add a short personal message to increase its effectiveness.
9. Probably, most of the people of our country would not even consider an abortion. And many people feel that it is merely a private matter which should never be discussed in public, especially in church. But what will happen to us if we say nothing? Will we be better Christians? Will our silence make for an improved, hopeful America? When we meet the fifty million children who lives were lost since 1973, will we be able to look them in eye without regret?
10. It may seem as if what we do is not significant, but with God’s help our witness can make a difference not only for the unborn, but for our whole society. God needed Jonah's prophetic preaching in order to save the people of Ninevah. The Lord needs us to act for the good of our country. I believe it was Francis Bacon who said “evil continues when good people say nothing"
12. Don’t be afraid. When I was a teacher in another state, their education association heavily supported planned parenthood, so I refused to join. We received a pay raise and one of the other teachers said that I should not get it, since I refused to pay dues. So I said take it back, I will not accept $3000 if it means the killing of the innocent, so they backed down. Thank you and may God bless you.
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