Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
In Lumen Gentium, the II Vatical Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, we learn that the faithful, by Baptism, are incorporated into Christ’s share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ. Therefore, within the sacramental grace of Baptism we are called to participate in Christ’s prophetic ministry. Yet, this ministry is hardly one people find it easy to accept. Often our response is like Jeremiah, “Oh Lord, I am too young to do that.” Or it is like Jonah, “No Lord, you are crazy if you think I’ll do that,” and then we run the other way. Or it like the disciples today, “Sure we can drink the same cup Lord,” failing to realize that Jesus means to lay down our lives.
Being a prophet often means sharing a difficult truth lovingly with someone who does not want to hear the truth in the first place. In the first reading, the people of Judah are plotting against the prophet Jeremiah. They conspire to destroy Jeremiah, primarily because his prophecy is nearly impossible to accept. Jeremiah senses the hatefulness growing around him and prays for protection. The irony is that Jeremiah is being plotted against by the very people from whom he asked God to protect. The twist is not lost on us. Who among us have not tried to tell the truth only to be rejected? Or who among us have easily heard hard truths and accepted them joyfully? The reality is that the prophet’s message may indeed be Christ’s call to us for radical conversion. It might be the very transformation that will remake us into the image of Christ.
What is our reaction to a prophetic message? Do we want to run away? Do we get defensive? Do we simply ignore the tough message? The reality is that we may react in each of these ways. It seems that the Gospel today has the disciples simply ignoring Jesus’ foretelling of his imminent death. Some of them are more worried about where they will get to sit in the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, Jesus eventually brings the point back to his prophecy. The message is that Jesus came to be a servant - not to be served, even to the point that he will have to lay down his life.
Today, let us reflect on our Lenten disciplines. There may be one in particular that is challenging us in a prophetic way to be a servant. Or perhaps, there is a person in our life who has been trying to lovingly tell us a difficult truth. What is the message? How is God trying to transform us into the servant that we are called to be?
"Lord, in Your kindness your loving wish for us is that we do your will. Change that which resides in our hearts that reject your prophetic call. Help us to be radical disciples, who when faced with the gospel call respond openly, “Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.” Amen!
-Michael Montgomery