As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be a prophetic people. We received this call at our baptism when, anointed with holy chrism, we were anointed priest, prophet , and king. We come from a long line of prophets: Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, Daniel, Hosea, Malachi, to name just a few.
The life of a prophet is not an easy one. There is no place for complacency in the life of a prophet. Prophets are called by God to leave their “zones of comfort and safety” and to go into places of uncertainty and distress and give witness to those who are in need of the Good News of Jesus. Prophets are called to be the conscience of peoples and nations. Prophets are called by God to challenge the unjust practices and policies of those who hold power. Prophets are called by God to be agents of change and to transform the systemic injustice of cultures and societies. As a result, prophets are often singled out by those in power as trouble makers and are often persecuted, imprisoned, and, at times, martyred. Numbered among Biblical prophets who suffered and died are our present day prophets like Blessed Archbishop Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr, and, even non-Christians like Mahatma Ghandi.
On this feast of the birth of John the Baptist, we are reminded that, like John the Baptist, we must prophesy to our present time and place, as prophets have done from of old. Our places to prophesy are not limited to only those mighty halls of government, but in our neighborhoods, our communities, and in our own homes. The graces that flow from the Mass into our lives provides us with the courage and the fortitude to bravely go forth and be heralds of Jesus Christ not only in word, but more importantly, in action.
