Word to the Wise
Monday, August 31, 2015 - Monday in the 22th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Thess 4:13-18 and Luke 4:16-30,1055]"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." [Luke]
MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 MONDAY IN THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Luke 4:16-30] "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." [Luke] When it comes to an opening line for a homily, the one Jesus spoke to his hometown congregation is hard to beat. He has read the majestic passage from Isaiah describing the task of the prophet and then simply says, in effect, "I am that man." Then he challenges the faith of the listeners, which leads to their running him out of town! They were not about to let somebody they had known since he was a little boy tell them that their faith was faulty. When a familiar face says unfamiliar and challenging words, how do we react? Do we say, "Who are you to be saying such things to me?" The danger in all of this is that we come to expect only words the comfort us and require no change in our usual way of doing things. But all of us by virtue of our baptism are called to the prophetic task of challenging injustice and immorality. It is a common excuse to say, "I wanted to say something but I was afraid he/she/they would get mad and get even." Or, "I know I am not a paragon of virtue, so I dare not say anything or do anything because the others will call attention to MY faults and sins." We are all called to be the fulfillment of God's promises. We are all limited in our abilities, but those abilities come from the Spirit that anointed us in baptism. Warts and all, we are called to be prophets. AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
85 ms
4
