XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
THE PROPHET AND HIS EVANGELIZING MISSION
By our Pastor, Fr. Carmelo Jiménez
The readings for this Sunday make us reflect on the opposition that a messenger of God has to face, especially among their family and other people who are close to them.
“As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me.” (Ez 2:2) In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit acts in a special way through the prophets. The Holy Spirit prepares them for the mission, giving them in a special way the gift of strength for the mission. The prophet Ezequiel says that the Spirit entered him and made him stand up; this way of acting of the Spirit is strength and resolve and he instills it in those he chooses for the mission. So we could say that the prophet is prepared by the Spirit to fulfill his task despite any of the possible and more than probable resistance. In every place and time, and also in every culture, there has been a rejection of the Word of God. But the word of the prophet is effective in every time, because the proclamation of the Word of God always brings with it a permanent and salvific strength.
In the second reading we find an apostle who uses irony to encourage the communities, especially the one of Corinth. And so the strength of the Gospel is irresistible because it carries with it all of the power and truth of God who guarantees its effectiveness. But remember it is God who makes the decision throughout salvation history and concretely for example God makes the decision about the mission of Paul. Saint Paul was in charge of bringing the Gospel to the pagan world; to open the doors of salvation through Christ to all men. There is the secret, the glory and mystery of the mission: that God is the one who decides and the messenger is only the messenger. Today, like yesterday, that reality continues to be palpable and consoling, that the mission does not depend on human reasoning. The final success of the endeavor depends on the fidelity of almighty God and the fidelity of the messengers.
We could enumerate hundreds of evangelizers whose words were effective to the measure that they let God act and make decisions in their endeavors. Saint Francis of Assisi, who renounced everything, dared to build the church. Saint Geronimo affirmed: “ignorance of the Sacred Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Saint Francis Xavier, was a great missionary in Asia and dreamed of evangelizing China, but he died before arriving there. Yet with his testimony he continues to bear fruit, because of his humility. We could continue enumerating many more saints who left their past life behind, without forgetting it but never going back. After their conversion they opened themselves to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in his evangelizing work.
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” (Mk 6:4) In the passage from Mark’s gospel, this encounter in Nazareth is essential and fundamental. It shows the two levels of those who come close to Jesus: the first one natural and moved by human interests and the second level is that of his mission moved by other more profound and universal motives. Today, like yesterday, the true prophets are not well accepted by those closest to them. Today, like yesterday, the messengers of the Gospel have to be driven by openness to all men of every race, social condition and culture. The Gospel is for everyone, men and women, wherever they are. We must reflect our mission with a real commitment with others, as well as the living testimony within society.
May God help us be messengers of his love and his word, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit may we live out our call as baptized prophets, giving testimony of our faith. Amen.