Give Your Prophet Welcome

Prophet Jesus in his hometown synagogue of Nazareth

Give Your Prophet Welcome.

14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 8, 2012

Ezekiel 2:3-5    2 Corinthian 12:7-10      Mark 6:1-6

First reading

As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD! And whether they heed or resist--for they are a rebellious house--they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Alleluia, alleluia.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Glory to you, Lord.

Just a local

Jesus departed from there, and accompanied by his disciples returned to Mazareth, his home town. When the sabbath came He went to the synagogue to teach and the people were surprised by his wisdom. After all, He was just a local man like themselves. “He’s no better than we are,” they said. “He’s just a carpenter, Mary’s boy, and a brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. And his sisters live right here with us." And so they rejected Him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown and among his own kin and in his own house." He was not able to perform any miracles there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was greatly disappointed at their lack of faith.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The Gosepl of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Introduction

Luke’s version

The event related in Mark’s gospel today is quite brief; it runs for only six verses. Brevity is characteristic of Mark’s gospel; it is, in fact, the shortest of all four gospels. Luke’s version of the event, however, is more detailed; it runs from verse 16 to verse 30. His account is also very violent. It starts out on a calm note: “The people in the synagogue were well impressed with Jesus. They marveled at the beautiful words that fell from his lips.” But then some of the hometown folk started wondering and asking, “How can this be? Isn’t this guy Joseph’s son?” (Lk. 4 22)  So they challenge Jesus saying, “Let us see you do miracles here in your hometown like those we heard you did in Capernaum.” (Lk. 4:23) But Jesus tells them that “a prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown,” and he cites the example of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. (Lk. 4:24-27) At that, all hell breaks loose: "The whole congregation became insanely angry. They sprang to their feet, drove Him out of town, dragged Him to the brow of the hill on which it was built, and were going to hurl Him over the cliff. But He slipped through the crowd and walked away." (Lk. 4: 28-30) 

We marvel at the incredibly short time that lay between the crowd which “marveled at the beautiful words that fell from His lips,“ and their being “insanely angry” and wanting to hurl Him over a cliff.

A prophet is one who…

Scripturally and theologically a prophet is one who speaks for God. (The word comes from the Greek pro-phanein: “to speak for.”) Often when a prophet speaks for God, he infuriates people. In Isaiah a prophet is one who “lifts up his voice like a trumpet blast and tells the people their sins(Is 58:1), and that infuriates them. Or a prophet is one who tells the people something that disturbs their peace, and that infuriates them. Or a prophet is one who invites people who are set in their ways to change, and that infuriates them. Or a prophet is one who tells people something they don’t see, should see, but don’t want to see, and that infuriates them.

Prophet Archbishop Hunthausen.

Some years ago Archbishop and Prophet Raymond Hunthausen of Seattle (b. 1921) spoke out about various controversial issues in the Church - like artificial contraception and homosexuality. In a public letter he also defended the rights of gays and lesbians. That and other positions of Prophet Hunthausen infuriated Rome. The Vatican didn’t hurl him over a cliff (we’re much more civilized today), but it did strip him of some of his episcopal authority, because “his lack of clarity about homosexuality had confused the faithful.” Jesus is right: "A prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown and among his own kin,” and yes, even in his own Church.

Prophet Bishop Untener

The year 1993 was the twenty-fifth anniversary of Pope Paul VI's encyclical letter Humanae vitae (1968), which reaffirmed the Church's stand against artificial birth control.  For twenty-five years Humanae vitae had been a litmus test of Catholic loyalty. Bishop and Prophet Kenneth Untener of Saginaw (1937- 2004) invited the Church to use the occasion to start a new, honest and open discussion on birth control. Prophet Untener’s invitation infuriated Rome. The Vatican didn’t hurl Untener over a cliff, but it did foreclose any possibility of him climbing higher on the ecclesiastical ladder. Again Jesus is right: "A prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown and among his own kin,” and yes, even in his own Church.

Prophet Archbishop Weakland

Some years ago, Archbishop and Prophet Rembert Weakland (b. 1927) of Milwaukee sat down with pro-choice people to hear what they had to say. In his report after the sessions, though he unequivocally upheld Catholic teaching that abortion is immoral, he did, however, warn that the anti-abortion movement is counterproductive when its focus is narrow, its tactics aggressive, and its rhetoric ugly and demeaning. The Archbishop also observed that some very conscientious women do not resonate with the Church's teaching prohibiting birth control. That infuriated some people in Milwaukee and Rome. The Vatican did not hurl Rembert over a cliff, but it did cancel an honorary degree which the University of Fribourg wanted to confer upon Weakland for his good work on the US Bishops' pastoral letter concerning economics. The reason offered for the denial of the honorary degree: “He has confused the faithful on the issue of abortion.” Again Jesus is right: "A prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown and among his own kin,” and yes, even in his own Church.

Prophet Bishop Gumbleton

Former Auxiliary Bishop and Prophet of Detroit, Thomas John Gumbleton (b. 1930), who has a long history of social justice, wrote in a letter to America magazine (Nov. 20, 1993): "I can vouch for the fact that very many bishops share the same conviction (that not every contraceptive act is intrinsically evil). However, sadly enough, fewer and fewer are willing to say this publicly.” And though Pope John Paul II spoke definitively against the ordination of women, Gumbleton said, “Priestesses will inevitably come. Already, female parochial administrators are proving their competency and laying the groundwork for the ordination of women.” Such positions infuriated Rome. The Vatican did not hurl Bishop Gumbleton over a cliff, but when he (still in good health) petitioned Rome for permission to stay on as bishop beyond his 75^th year, the canonical age for retirement (often waived for a good reason) his petition was refused with e-mail speed. Again Jesus is right: Again Jesus is right: "A prophet is never welcomed in his own hometown and among his own kin,” and yes, even in his own Church.

It’s fear

It’s fear that makes us want to hurl people over a cliff. When Prophet Hunthausen publicly defended the rights of gays and lesbians, that struck fear in the hearts of homophobics, and so they want to hurl him over a cliff. When Prophet Untener asked the Church to revisit and reconsider Humanae vitae  (which restated the Church’s traditional stand on artificial birth control), that struck fear in those who believe in an `infallible’ Church which never has to change its mind, and so they wanted to hurl him over a cliff. When Prophet Weakland sat down to hear pro-choice women out, that struck fear in those who believe that the Church only teaches and never has need to be taught, and so they wanted to hurl him over a cliff. And when auxiliary Prophet Gumbleton predicted that there will be priestesses, that struck fear in a macho-ridden Church, and so they wanted to hurl him over a cliff.

Conclusion

Give your prophet welcome.

Whenever we become infuriated at someone and want to hurl him over a cliff, we should give pause: the fury might be fear. He might be a prophet who wants to tell us something we don’t hear, should hear, but don’t want to hear. Give more heed to what you don’t want to hear, than to what you do want to hear. Don’t throw the prophet sent you over a cliff; rather give your prophet welcome, and listen to him. It’s a priceless service when someone tells us something we need to hear, especially when he tells it out of love and not out of rant and rage. And while it takes great courage to be a prophet (whom people like to throw over cliffs), it also takes great courage to give welcome to the prophet God has sent to tell us something we need to hear but don’t want to hear. Jesus promises, "Whoever gives welcome to a prophet in my name shall receive the reward of a prophet." (Mt 10:41)