The Mantle of Prophecy

 

The mass readings this Sunday were full of advice for prophets. 

Who is a prophet? We are all supposed to be. 

Numbers 11: 29. “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all Yahweh’s people were prophets, that Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!”

We ought to attend.

No, this does not mean we can reliably predict the future. William Blake had it right: 

Prophets in the modern sense of the word have never existed. Jonah was no prophet in the modern sense, for his prophecy of Nineveh failed. Every honest man is a Prophet. He utters his opinion both of private & public matters “/Thus/If you go on So/the result is So/” He never says such a thing shall happen If you do what you will.”

If anyone sincerely seeks and speaks the truth, he is a prophet. These are God’s people. Most people do not do this. Winston Churchill said, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”

George Orwell was a prophet in simply this sense: his talent, by his own estimation, was simply in being able to face the truth without flinching. The same might be said of Churchill. Or truly good artists generally.

On to this Sunday’s lesson:

Ezekiel 2: 2-5

“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.”

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10:

“Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.

Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.

Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Mark 6: 1-6:

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

Let’s try to extract the lessons. If you are a prophet, a truly honest man:

1. Nobody will listen to you. They will not follow your advice.

2. You will endure “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints.”

3. You will be scorned by your own family, and by those with whom you grew up.