Introduction In the modern world there are many groups of people who maintain a relationship amongst their membership even though they are physically scattered over a wide geographical area. This has been made possible by the fantastic advances in communication technology. The people of God who from time to time were scattered in foreign lands yearned to be together in one land. This they wished for so that they could journey as a people with God and with each other. So the entrance antiphon expresses their desire.
The Entrance Antiphon Save us, Lord our God, and gather us together from the nations, that we may proclaim your holy name and glory in your praise. The wonder is that the fulfillment of the desire for peoplehood was made a reality through the intervention of the prophets raised up from amongst them by the Lord God. Those chosen for this task were a reluctant lot because they were the victims of persecution and misunderstanding. It is recorded that most prophets were killed. With this background let us read the proclamations for today.
The First Proclamation The word of the Lord came to me thus: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day that have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: Against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
Prayerful Awareness The bible scholars say that these verses are not the testimony of a youth looking at future ministry; they are the witness of a mature, battle scarred veteran looking back over a long and tortuous journey. This veteran knows who he is because he has been tested in the fire and stood firm. He had experienced the strength and empowerment of God in the most adverse circumstances imaginable. He had come to know who he is because he had come to know who God is in His faithfulness! If we are to take this point of view as authentic, we have to acknowledge that prophets are confirmed in their ministry on the job rather than at a particular point of time in their lives. So the necessity of the potential prophet to take a leap in faith in the assurance that the message he has in his heart is inspired by the Lord God. Consequent rejection of the message and the prophet could be construed as proof of authenticity of both. Jesus, in the Gospel of today begins His prophetic ministry in His hometown of Nazareth.
Gospel Proclamation He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
Gaze at Jesus Jesus takes upon Himself the identity of a prophet. He knew what that implied. Prophets did not have a reputation for bringing miracles and good things to the people of Israel. Therefore He says: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.” Why because most often, the prophets of Israel brought a message that confronted the people with their own failures to be God’s people. Jesus seems to have desired to taste the lot of the prophet from day one of His ministry. He faces the fury of the people with the confidence gained from His relationship with Yahweh God He called Father. The fact that He was able to pass through the angry mob is evidence of the authority of a prophet that would have been stamped in the expression of His face. The expression would have manifested what is described in the second proclamation.
The Second Proclamation Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Our sonship We at our baptism as Christians received the three-fold mission of Jesus of being servant-king, priest and prophet. The foundation of all that is involved in carrying out this mission is LOVE. Prayer Starter Lord let me thirst to experience in my life Your love for me. The Love You have for me as SERVANT KING when Your providence satisfies my every need, as PRIEST when Your sacrificial love saves me, as PROPHET when You speak within me and direct me to obey Your Father’s Will.
