Priest, Prophet and King: By our baptism we Christians are called to be priests, prophets, and kings. Whether we were baptized as unaware infants or as fully consenting adults, the priest’s words “Just as Jesus was anointed priest, prophet, and king, so may you live always as a member of his body sharing everlasting life” apply to us.
Jesus’ life, as described in the Gospels, provides us with the perfect example of how to live each of the three roles. Today’s readings illuminate the role of the prophet. Jesus returns and preaches in His hometown of Nazareth and finds that many of those closest to Him, kinsmen and neighbors, are unable to accept His message as a prophet.
The Role of Prophet
In the context of the Christian life, what does it mean to be a prophet? A prophet seeks to understand and communicate the truth of God. For Jesus, this meant spreading the message that He was the long-awaited Messiah who had come to fulfill the Kingdom of God. In Nazareth, as in many other places where he preached, Jesus’ message fell flat. He did not fit the popular first-century Jewish conception of the Messiah as a political and military ruler who would expel the Romans and reunite Israel.
In our own secularized culture, we also run into trouble when we attempt to speak the truth of the Gospels. In the Western world, many current cultural mores and beliefs run exactly opposite to what the Church teaches. G. K. Chesterton remarked in his book Orthodoxy,: “…in an upside-down world such as ours, the prophet is the one who stands on his head so that he might see things aright.”
Being a prophet for Christ today can subject you to ridicule, embarrassment, and even alienation from friends and family.
How Can We Be Faithful Prophets?
First, by steadfast faith in the power of prayer. More so than the other callings of our baptism, prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us hear the word of God and guides our faithful interpretation and communication of this word.
We also need to remember the power of humility. In today’s first reading, we see the prophet Elisha ministering to the most unlikely of individuals, Naanman the army commander of Aram, Israel’s feared rival kingdom. In His sermon in the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus references both Naaman and Elijah’s visit to the gentile widow of Zarephath as unexpected examples of recipients of God’s word. We do not know in what unexpected or humble guise we might serve as prophet to another or receive a prophecy.
Our efforts to be holy by attending Mass, regular participation in the sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, daily prayer, and good works help the word of God flow through us. Our efforts to educate ourselves on the truths of our faith and our rich tradition of Catholic apologists enable us to better communicate God’s message to a diverse audience.
The role of the prophet is not necessarily simple or easy. The mercy of Jesus, the strength of God, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit ensure that we will never be called to do more than we are able. But also that we will be able to do much more than we believe.
