I
InThePew
Guest
Jeremiah was a reluctant Prophet. At one point in his writings he says to the Lord “you have seduced me and I have allowed myself to be seduced.” Clearly not a happy chappie. Prophets speak on God’s behalf, as his mouthpiece or Messenger telling people what he wants them to hear. Of course, this isn’t the same as what people want to hear, especially not about their personal lives and particularly not when it comes to speaking the truth to those in power, making the prophet’s role unpopular, both for the Prophet and the ones being prophesied to. This is why Jeremiah speaks of terror all around him, former friends watching for his downfall. He knows though that the Lord is at his side, no doubt taking comfort from the words of the Psalm: “The Lord is close to those who called him in their need… he will not spurn his servants in their chains.”
Jeremiah lived over 2500 years ago, but his words are as important today as they were then. Not simply because of the reminder of the Lord’s help, but because each of us is appointed as a prophet by virtue of our baptism; called to proclaim the gospel with our lives, to take the Good News out into the world not to make people happy by telling them what they want to hear but to engage with them; enabling them to conform themselves to Christ and keep his commandments.
Still, prophets haven’t become much more popular with the passage of time and it’s easy to see how the world will respond; like Jeremiah, we’re reluctant to carry out our Commission at best, and positively allergic at worst. We’re afraid of being unpopular, being different from those around us, of what might happen if we stand up in the face of indifference. We don’t want to declare ourselves for Christ, to stand with him who lived, stood and died for us because it’s not what’s considered woke by the world.
Although understandable, given how the world is our importance as prophets can’t be understated. With increasing partisanship, divisions, and discord, the world needs to hear the Lord’s Word because God is love and only love can overcome evil, overcome hatred. As St Paul tells us, the gift of love outweighed the fall, more than made up for Adam’s original sin, the pride and disobedience which lies at the heart of all sin.
We’re called to take to heart Christ’s words: be not afraid - the same words said to the disciples after the resurrection to empower them for the mission which we ourselves are called to continue as evangelists. That doesn’t mean beating it into people with a stick (it doesn’t work) but showing a different way, the only way, Christ who is the way. Our task isn’t easy, but we don’t do it alone, but in company and in communion with each other, knowing Christ is always with us.
We’re given words which the world needs to hear to be helped, healed, and saved. While we speak words which are not our own, we can make the mission our own if we’re willing to accept it, to declare ourselves for Christ who will declare himself for us.
Jeremiah lived over 2500 years ago, but his words are as important today as they were then. Not simply because of the reminder of the Lord’s help, but because each of us is appointed as a prophet by virtue of our baptism; called to proclaim the gospel with our lives, to take the Good News out into the world not to make people happy by telling them what they want to hear but to engage with them; enabling them to conform themselves to Christ and keep his commandments.
Still, prophets haven’t become much more popular with the passage of time and it’s easy to see how the world will respond; like Jeremiah, we’re reluctant to carry out our Commission at best, and positively allergic at worst. We’re afraid of being unpopular, being different from those around us, of what might happen if we stand up in the face of indifference. We don’t want to declare ourselves for Christ, to stand with him who lived, stood and died for us because it’s not what’s considered woke by the world.
Although understandable, given how the world is our importance as prophets can’t be understated. With increasing partisanship, divisions, and discord, the world needs to hear the Lord’s Word because God is love and only love can overcome evil, overcome hatred. As St Paul tells us, the gift of love outweighed the fall, more than made up for Adam’s original sin, the pride and disobedience which lies at the heart of all sin.
We’re called to take to heart Christ’s words: be not afraid - the same words said to the disciples after the resurrection to empower them for the mission which we ourselves are called to continue as evangelists. That doesn’t mean beating it into people with a stick (it doesn’t work) but showing a different way, the only way, Christ who is the way. Our task isn’t easy, but we don’t do it alone, but in company and in communion with each other, knowing Christ is always with us.
We’re given words which the world needs to hear to be helped, healed, and saved. While we speak words which are not our own, we can make the mission our own if we’re willing to accept it, to declare ourselves for Christ who will declare himself for us.