Anointed to Preach (Second Episode)

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 28, 2007
Reading I: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19
Responsorial Psalm: 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 or 13:4-13
Gospel: Luke 4:21-30

Since students are still on their holiday our parish is a little bit quiet. It’s good that my life as an assistant priest at the moment is still in “semi-holiday mode.” What I do during my spare times these days is I watch this American television series in DVD called Prison Break. The story revolves around a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit and his brother who designed the prison and gets himself thrown into the prison to help him escape. Sometimes I tempted to forward the DVD to find out what will happen in the end. I feel excited watching every episode I am always eager to finish the whole story and find out whether the two brothers will manage to escape or not.

Just as in all television series like Prison Break which give recaps of the previews series I’d like to give you some recaps of the last three Sundays’ gospel episodes to give us idea where are we now in the liturgical calendar of the Church:

We are now in the Fourth Sunday in ordinary time.

The gospel after the Baptism of the Jesus was about the wedding in Cana where Jesus miraculously turned water into wine (this is the Second Sunday of the Ordinary Time). For the first time in his public ministry he showed a sign of his power. Then the gospel reading the following Sunday or last Sunday (the Third) was from the Gospel of St. Luke. It’s about Jesus rolling down a scroll of the book of the prophet Isaiah that reads: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor… Jesus reveals that the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled at his coming. And today’s Gospel is continuation of the last Sunday’s reading we just heard the rejection of Jesus at Nazareth, his hometown, the first time he returns after beginning his public ministry.

I’d like to give you a preview for next Sunday, the next Gospel episode is about the calling of the first four disciples. What will he do them? Will they respond to his call? We have to know. So keep in tune!

The immediate rejection of Jesus in his own town today draws out the famous remark, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Here we learn how Jesus’ message of salvation, his message of hope to the hopeless, his message of love to people quickly turn to rejection! Probably because people were too familiar with Jesus that’s why hey couldn’t simply accept him as the anointed one as described by prophet Isaiah. They saw Jesus just as one of them, an ordinary Jew. They knew his background; they knew his father who was only carpenter; and they knew his mother Mary. So when people heard Jesus claiming to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament’s prophecy they were filled with fury. What on earth this local boy is making up a silly story? He was insulting God, Israel and his home town simultaneously. They felt insulted with Jesus’ blasphemy so they rose up, drove him out of the town…but Jesus escaped them.

What it means to be a prophet? In the Old Testament a prophet is someone who is “one called by God to speak for Him.” A prophet is a spokesperson of Yahweh who must obtain the charisma to pass Yahweh’s the message to the people. The first reading today is the calling of prophet Jeremiah. Yahweh says, Before I formed you in the womb I new you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. A real prophet is someone who is chosen by God and sent by him to speak the truth even in difficult circumstances. In the Old Testament there were also false prophets; they are those who do not speak the word of Yahweh rather they only speak their own minds. They were those who have no awareness of the evil and immorality in the world.

But a real prophet is someone who only speaks on behalf of God. Someone who depends on Yahweh alone as his refuge as the Psalm says, Be my rock of refuge a stronghold to give me safety for you are my rock and my fortress. The second reading today describes how exactly it is to be a real messenger of God. It is one of the favourite scripture readings from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians which describe the meaning of love. Love is the key word if one is a real messenger of God. If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

But Jesus is more than a prophet for he is God. His speaks with authority; he stands outside the cultic and political structure of his time. In his ministry Jesus speaks nothing but the love of God. Jesus himself is the embodiment of love. But his message of love is often rejected. Until today Jesus’ message of love if not rejected, still remain unknown to other people.

There four Gospels that narrates the love of Jesus to humanity – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Someone says that we Christians are the Fifth Gospel. We are called to proclaim to all our brothers and sisters that they are loved by God and are capable of loving. We are the modern day prophets, messenger of God’s love.

You and I are chosen by God even while we were in our mother’s womb. Do not be afraid if people may reject our calling. Sometimes even our own family, friends, loved ones and work mates may reject our witnessing. People may mock our faith; our modern society may find our Christian faith as taboo/traditional but let remember that Jesus himself was rejected and crucified because of his desire to pass the message of truth, love and mercy to people.

It’s not easy to be Christians but we will do it with God’s grace. Let our hands be hands of Jesus. Let people see the eyes of Jesus in our eyes. Let people feel in our hands the touch of Jesus. Let care like Jesus. Let speak like Jesus. Let love like Jesus.

Let us ask the grace to hear and practice the prophetic words of Jesus.

Father, you knew us in our mother’s womb. Before we were born you loved us.We cling to the promise you made to Jeremiah, to Jesus. Whatever you do, I will be with you.
Amen.