Are you ready to be a prophet?

Fourth Sunday “c” Luke 4, 21-30 Today’s first reading and the Gospel both speak of the call to be a prophet. In the middle of these two readings is sandwiched the beautiful reading from 1 Corinthians on Love. The first reading begins with Jeremiah’s call to be a prophet. God proclaims that Jeremiah was called to be a prophet even before his conception. A prophet to all the nations. Jeremiah is warned though that there will be opposition to his mission. The Gospel continues with Jesus’ call to be a prophet as well. Jesus’ mission is in the prophetic tradition of Elijah and Jeremiah. It begins where last Sunday’s gospel ended. Jesus is proclaiming the word in his hometown synagogue. The people are all pleased with Jesus’ words until they realize, “hey, he’s one of us.” The people are angered by Jesus’ challenging words they even attempt to martyr him driving him off a cliff. A prophet, like Jeremiah and Jesus is person who is called by God. Called by God from this very beginning to their existence. They are called to proclaim God’s word and to challenge people to live by it. They are also rejected by the people. No one seems to like the challenge. It is easy to see people who are dead as prophets: people like Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul. But there are prophets today. People like Sister Helen Prejean who works with men on death row in Louisiana, Fr. Greg Boyle who works with gang members in East Los Angeles. Pope Francis who challenges us to be Christians not just in word but in deed as well. People who in small ways stand up for life in our own community. The truth is we are all called to be prophets. Baptism describes our Christian Mission as participation in Jesus’ mission of prophet, as well as priest and King. Like Jesus and Jeremiah, we have been called from the very beginning of our existence but most especially at the day of our baptism. Today we will commission our Parish Pastoral Council, they have been called to serve as Prophets in our parish community. As I said, in between the two readings is sandwiched the beautiful reading from I Corinthians on Love. I think that this reading tells us what our motivation is as prophets in the world today. It is what our motivation should always be as we live out our Christian vocation: Love. Love is how and why we exercise our baptismal calling in the world today. If we aren’t motivated by love we will rightly be called false prophets. But if we are motivated by love we may still be condemned but we can be sure that we are not false prophets. This reading from I Corinthians is a favorite for weddings and funerals. And with good reason but it speaks to love in all things not just those two times. I think that we can say that Paul in his letter speaks of Prophetic Love. The way to love is to prophesy by giving a word that will build up, encourage, and console people. The Lord is happy to share with you what someone needs to be encouraged. Everyone is able to encourage, build up or console! All gifts must operate out of love. Without love all gifts are meaningless. That is what Paul calls us to in the first part of today’s reading. Without love we are just a sounding gong or a clashing symbol. Without love it’s just a tool used to manipulate and control. It isn’t about pleasing God, but it is about pleasing oneself. Love is the key to changing the world. Today we are commissioning our Parish Pastoral Council members. We talked about the qualities needed to be on the council, at the top of the list should be love. To love our God. Love our parishioners and to love ourselves. Prophets are seen to be as out of the ordinary. Ones who aren’t in the mainstream. To love like Paul is describing it in the second reading really is extraordinary. Are you ready to be a prophet? Are we ready to be prophetic community? That is what we are called to be. A prophetic community, a community of love. Let us ask for God’s blessings on the members of our Parish Pastoral council. Let us ask for Gods blessings on all of us.