Prophet Among Us

Prophet Among Us

"The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother."

Gospel for the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Luke 7.11-17 

What comes to mind when you think of a "prophet"?

For some, it might conjure up cartoons of gloomy men with long beards, carrying signs that say "The end is near"...

 

Or what about this guy???

I'll bet old Nostradamus has been on more covers of the National Star than Elvis!

Even among certain Christian circles, prophesy tends to mean figuring out the end of the world in the images of the Book of Revelation, despite repeated warnings by Jesus that "you do not know when the hour is coming..."

True Prophets

Authentic prophets, in our Judeo-Christian tradition, have very little to do with the future, and everything to do with the present. 

So we have the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, and many others from the Old Testament.

Yes, they would look to the future in a "big picture" kind of way- "If you don't change your ways, and come back to God, expect the worst..." OR

"Fear not, God has heard your pleas and witnessed your suffering- things will get better..."

Prophets in the Bible tend to "comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable" ( I wish I could tell you who said that to give them credit- it is not one of mine!!)

The most afflicted in Jesus' time were the poor- no different than today. The poorest of the poor, next to the lepers, were widows and orphans. With no one to support them, they were at the mercy of the community.

That is why we read so much from the prophets that widows and orphans are the ones who need our care.

 Who are the "widows and orphans" in our world?

Imagine the Scene....

If you have not already done so, click on the link to the Gospel at the top of the page. If you did, read it again...

Imagine the scene. Jesus is being followed by a large crowd- disciples, curiosity seekers, and probably some looking to trap Jesus. He comes to Nain and encounters a large crowd coming towards Him. A different crowd altogether.

A crowd of mourners. A widow of the town has lost her son, who is about to be buried. Not only has she lost her flesh and blood (who can imagine the pain of losing a child?) but now she has lost her means of support.

She is hopeless. And the large crowd that follows her? We imagine mourners, curiosity seekers. and even some who mock her pain. (There have always been bullies).

The two crowds meet. And in the center is Jesus, the widow, and the dead son.

And love

What is so wonderful in this scene is that there is no conversation between the widow and Jesus. Jesus didn't ask her if she prepared for this, or why is she so destitute, or why can't the community take care of her, or what's wrong with government anyway...

"When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her..."

 This is not a miracle story where the widow shows great faith. This is not even a wondrous "sign" that we find in John's Gospel, although clearly the miracle was a sign for the crowd.
This is a story of the marvelous love of Jesus for those who are most in need. In his words and actions, Jesus gives life to the son, and "gave him to his mother", giving life to the widow herself.

 The best part

Then comes the best part of this Gospel passage. First, "Fear seized all of them, and they glorified God." The "two large crowds" are now one, dumbstruck by God's glory and showing "fear of the Lord" ( not scared, just in awe!). They proclaim that a great prophet has "risen among us" ( don't miss that- Jesus just finished saying, "Young man, I say to you, rise!") So not only do the son and the widow receive new life, but the crowd as well- they have come alive in God's glory.

WHAT? ME, A PROPHET?

We might come away from this Gospel making connections with those in the story who have been given new life. But I invite you to pray and discern a different meaning for your life. In a very real way, we are invited to be  prophets.

Why? Quite simply, it is through our baptism into the life of the Trinity that we have been made "priest, prophet and king." Through our baptismal call, we are prophets as Jesus was- proclaiming the Good News of the Reign of God

So what does this look like?

For a parent, it is raising your children to be sons and daughters of God, giving them the spiritual food they need to sustain them throughout their lives.

For a teacher, it is to be a model of discipleship for you students and your peers, creating an atmosphere of genuine love for Christ and His Church,

For a Christian, it is tending to the widows and orphans in your community, your province, your world (no need to choose- tend to them all!)

For a Catholic Christian, it is to become what we receive in the Eucharist- bread for the world, Blessed. Broken. Shared.

Pray this week that you might fulfill your baptismal call.

Be a prophet among us.