HOMILY FOR 2nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME—A


PICK UP ANY PAPER, LISTEN TO THE TALKING HEADS ON TV, OR, FOR THAT MATTER, BROWSE THE LATEST FASHION JOURNALS AND COUNT HOW MANY TIMES THE WORD PROPHET IS USED.  WARREN BUFFETT IS THE PROPHET OF WALL STREET; SLICK PR FIRMS SELL US POLITICIANS AS PROPHETS OF CHANGE; A STARLET WHOSE ADDICTIONS LEAD HER TO REHAB IS SURE OF A BOOK DEAL AND IS ANNOINTED OUR WOUNDED PROPHET WHILE THE LATEST MUST-HAVE DESIGNER IS OUR PROPHET OF STYLE.


WE USE THAT WORD PROPHET SO CASUALLY NOW THAT WE’VE BECOME IMMUNE TO THE TRUE POWER OF THE WORD AND OF THE TRUE POWER OF THE REAL PROPHET’S MESSAGE ABOUT GOD.  IN OUR CATHOLIC TRADITION, A BIBLICAL PROPHET IS NOT A CONJURER WITH A CRYSTAL BALL AND SOME TAROT CARDS.  A BIBLICAL PROPHET DOES NOT PREDICT THE FUTURE BY REARRANGING THE FIRST WORD OF THE FIRST VERSE OF EVERY OTHER CHAPER OF THE BOOKS OF DANIEL AND REVELATION.  A BIBLICAL PROPHET DOES NOT PROMISE TO REVEAL THE DEEPEST TRUTHS ONCE A LOVE OFFERING IS RECEIVED.


RATHER THE BIBLICAL PROPHET IS SOMEONE WHO OFFERS PEOPLE A NEW WAY OF SEEING, SOMEONE WHO VIEWS THE HUMAN CONDITION THROUGH THE LENS OF GOD, SOMEONE WHO CALLS US TO RADICAL REDEPMPTION AND TO UNEXPECTED HOPE.


IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, WE MEET AGAIN THE LAST OF THE OT PROPHETS.  WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE CYCLE OF PROPHETS WHICH BEGAN WITH ELIJAH BECOMES COMPLETE.


JOHN’S PROPHECY WAS DIRECT AND POWERFUL:  BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!  LISTEN TO THE POWER OF THAT MESSAGE.  GOD IS ACTUALLY ON EARTH IN THE PERSON OF JESUS AND THAT GOD-MAN JESUS CARRIES REDEMPTION FOR US ALL.  THAT’S BIG NEWS.


IMAGINE THE SHOCK THAT JOHN RECEIVED WHEN HE FIRST RECOGNIZED HIS COUSIN JESUS FOR WHO HE REALLY WAS, THE SHOCK AND WONDERMENT THAT LED TO THOSE DIRECT AND POWER WORDS: BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD.


BUT IT CAN BE SO EASY TO TAKE SALVATION FOR GRANTED, TO BECOME IMMUNE TO THE WONDER OF IT ALL, TO ACCEPT AS TAME AND ROUTINE OUR ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE LIVING GOD.


ONE AUTHOR DESCRIBED IT THIS WAY.  WHEN WE COME TO MASS, READ SCRIPTURE, OR PARTICIPATE IN A SACRAMENT, WE ARE LIKE A YOUNG CHILD SITTING ON THE FLOOR PLAYING WITH A CHEMISTRY SET WHO HAS UNKNOWINGLY MIXED UP A BATCH OF NITROGLYCERINE.  WE’RE INTO SOMETHINTG DEEP AND POWERFUL AND BEYOND OUR ABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND AND THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE SHAKE WILL SET IT OFF.


EVERY TIME WE GO TO A BAPTISM, RECEIVE ABSOLUTION IN CONFESSION, HEAR THE WORD OF GOD PROCLAIMED, EVERY TIME WE APPROACH THE ALTAR TO RECEIVE THE BODY OF CHRIST, WE SHOULD EXPERIENCE THAT SAME SHOCK OF WONDERM,ENT AND RECOGNITION, THAT SAME PROFOUND SENSE OF GOD THAT JOHN EXPERIENCED WHEN HE FINALLY SAW JESUS FOR WHO HE WAS.


THE PROPHET JOHN THE BAPTIST REMINDS US THERE IS ANOTHER WAY OF SEEING, A DEEPER CONVERSION, A RADICAL REDEMPTION, AND AN UNEXPECTED BUT CERTAIN HOPE.  HIS MESSAGE REMINDS US THAT THE LAMB OF GOD IS HERE.  THAT THE ONE WHO SEES OUR BROKENNESS CAN AND WILL MAKE US WHOLE, THAT THE ONE WHO KNOWS WE SIN CAN AND WILL RECONCILE US TO GOD, THAT THE ONE WHO WALKS WITH CAPTIVES CAN AND WILL SET US FREE FROM WHATEVER IMPRISONS US.


JOHN’S MESSAGE REMINDS US THAT THE WAY THINGS ARE IS NOT THE WAY THINGS HAVE TO BE.

NOW YOU AND I MIGHT NEVER SPEND TIME IN A DESERT, WEAR A HAIR SHIRT OR LIVE ON LOCUSTS AND HONEY.  WE MIGHT NOT BE CALLED TO BE BEHEADED OR BECOME A GREAT SAINT.

BUT, LIKE JOHN, WE CAN WITNESS TO WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE EXPERIENCE AND WHAT WE SEE.  LIKE JOHN WE CAN LIFT UP OUR VOICES AND TESTIFY TO THE LIGHT.


WE CAN PROCLAIM WITH JOHN: BEHOLD-THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.



CATHOLIC  BIBLE  INSIGHTS