By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
Called, Challenged and Comforted in Love
January 30, 2022: 4th Sunday in Ordinary time
Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 4: 21-30
We live our Christian faith in an increasingly pluralistic world; to be precise, it is not pluralism that is increasing but forces that make that pluralism more and more felt even on a daily basis, are making their presence more felt! One very simple and straightforward example could be what is going on in Tamilnadu, South India for the past one week.
An unfortunate suicide of a school student, is used as a pretext to sow hatred in the minds of the public against the Institution she studied in, which happens to be a Catholic Institution run by a congregation of nuns. The Institution is blamed for its forced conversions and that is cited abetting the suicide of the girl.
This action cannot be seen as one isolated case of accusation against the Religious Minority institutions but has to be understood within a larger plot by certain anti-secular forces at work in a nation such as India, where pluralism has for time immemorial remained an integral part of the social texture. That said, we need to look at the other side of the scenario too!
We still, in fact more these days, find the so-called Christian preachers and evangelists putting up shows and exhibiting pathetic gimmicks, in the name of proclamation, healings and spiritual awakening… the unnecessary popularity shows, the unchristian greed for money, the inhuman deceptions in the name of God… are these truly becoming of a messenger of God? Ashamed and embarassed by these treacherous manifestations, can we completely blame those fanatics, without taking the onus also on ourselves? It is against this background that the Word speaks to us today, calling each of us to be Prophets of the Lord, today, here and now!
We are Called… I have called you and appointed you my Prophet to the nations, affirms the Lord. Each of us is called, by our very baptism, we are called to be prophets of the Lord, wherever we are. Being prophets of the Lord to the nation means that we take the message of the Lord, that we take the Spirit of the Lord, that we become the presence of God for the world.
Being prophets, by the very word ‘prophet’ can mean three things: pro-phetes…could be, on behalf of the Lord, in front of the Lord, or in favour of the Lord. We are called to make present God, before the people who look for God, and God’s comfort. We are called to be persons of God in the eyes of the Lord, not merely putting up an appearance in front of the people. We are called to be in favour of the Lord, that is, we are called to present the true Lord in front of the world that constantly goes away from and turns against God. This is the call of a prophet!
We are Challenged… In fact, it is very clear that the task just mentioned above are not so simple. They are difficult, challenging and highly risky. The Lord never has hidden that detail from us: they will fight against you, says the Lord in the first reading; and Jesus says no prophet shall be accepted in his hometown, by his own people. Hence, when we take up our call to be prophets we agree to take up also the challenges that come along – opposition, derision, struggles, turmoils, plottings, violence and at times even death! We are challenged, and just because we are challenged and we are struggling, the Lord does not lessen our burden.
There is no compromise… the struggle is always the same, in fact it intensified as time goes on. What are we to do… get trained for it, get formed for it, get going with it! How far can we?
We are Comforted… the Lord comes with comfort and consolation, affirmation and assurances… I am with you; I was treated the same way; I have gone through all that you might be going through now…so be firm and keep going! Do not be dismayed in their presence, for I am there to deliver you, says the Lord.
It is not the acceptance of the people that will confirm that you are a prophet of God – for Jesus was just praised a moment, right at the next moment they tried to throw him down the precipice. The true confirmation of a prophet and the real comfort comes only from the Lord. And that would come only if we live up to the criterion that God has set for us as prophets… Love!
We are called, challenged and comforted in Love. Love is the litmus test of our life as prophets. Love means wishing the good of the other… not wishing my own good or fending for my own happiness. Love is doing everything for the other, love is living my entire life for the other, love is readiness to give of myself totally for the other.
There is no place for selfishness or deceit in love; there is no place for greed or ego in love; there is no place absolutely for any trace of unforgiveness or evil in love. It is with these criteria that the Lord calls each and every one of us Christians, to be prophets of the Lord to the world today.
Can we realise and accept our call to be prophets in Love? Can we look at the challenges posed by the world today in living our call as prophets, and accept them all with love? Can we really feel the comfort of love from the Lord and share the same loving comfort to the suffering masses of the world today? Can our daily life of being Christians, being children of God, become a concrete life of the prophets of the Lord for today!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him.