This week, I am on Pope overload! I have tried to watch every minute of every broadcast related to Pope Francis on his apostolic journey to Cuba and the United States of America. Everything about this papal visit has been filled with great hope and great joy. Surely, Pope Francis has challenged us and inspired us throughout his papacy, but certainly in unique ways over this past week. I for one have clung to every word, to every gesture to the presence of Pope Francis among our people.
Sadly, some folks insist on being outsiders by attacking the Pope and the Catholic Church. Someone on Facebook told me this week that the Pope was a false prophet. I asked why? Answer:because some commentator on Fox News said so. My Facebook friend went on to basically explain that Pope Francis can't be a prophet and none of his predecessors were either because the Church should sell off assets to feed the poor. Yes, my friend just can't get things right.
As people of faith, we all must know that by our very baptisms, we are all prophets, and priests and kings too. I hope to explain shortly.
What is a prophet? Basically a prophet is one who advocates or speaks for God; on God's behalf. A prophet helps all of us to basically learn more about the will of God. At each of our Baptisms we are anointed with the Holy Chrism oil and we hear that we, like Christ, are being anointed priest, prophet and king. By our Baptism, you and I are called to speak for God and help your brother and sister to follow God's holy will.
In today's 1st reading, from the 4th book of the Pentateuch, the Book of Numbers, we find Joshua speaking out to Moses against two men who were prophesying. Joshua tells Moses to make them stop and Moses responds that he will not stop them and how he wished all the people were prophets. As we move to the Gospel from St. Mark we once again find the disciples failing to recognize Jesus as the great prophet and they fail to recognize him as Messiah, at least what the cost of being Messiah would mean for Jesus. Still, like we read over the past two weeks, the disciples and followers are still looking for a mighty King or a conquering hero.
In today's lesson from Jesus as to what it means for Him to be our Messiah, He teaches against causing others to sin. To make His point more clearly, Jesus teaches them, and that means us too, to give up anything and everything that causes sin: give up your hand, your feet and your eyes if it be them that causes us to sin. Hold nothing back from following Jesus and rid ourselves of everything that holds us back; this is Jesus message today.
Notice today that Jesus refers to fiery Gehenna; naming the city dump outside of Jerusalem as his reference for hell, that place of everlasting separation from God in Heaven. So awful, so putrid this place named Gehenna that human beings who were unwanted or deserved punishment were taken there to be burned and die, laying in the waste of all the other trash that occupies the dump. It's a place you wanted to avoid; and of course, we all want to avoid the fires of hell.
So Jesus is still helping his disciples and followers to find their path that leads to eternal happiness. Jesus is helping us too, to avoid the Gehenna's of our lives and live in right relationship with God, His Church and our brother and sister. This too is the message this week of our Pope Francis in both Cuba and the USA. Pope Francis is not dabbling in politics like the media wants to sell you, He is pastorally helping us along as a prophet announces the good news of God to His people. Pope Francis visit has been a source of great hope and joy, inspiring us to delve more deeply into our faith. Perhaps now more than ever you and I are being called to study our Bible and our Catechism like never before. Perhaps now more than ever you and I are being called to serve Jesus and His Church by serving our brothers and sisters, particularly those in the most need. Perhaps now more than ever, Jesus is calling each us, to live out our Baptismal promises and live as priest, prophet and king!
Pope Francis indeed is a prophet and so are you and I. May we live out our mission as prophet as we live for Jesus and not against Him.
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