by Father Anthony F. Raso
The prophet Jeremiah was certainly an interesting man, which makes him an interesting prophet. Having accepted the call of God to be His spokesman, he had no illusions about how difficult this assignment would be. He knows, and says so beautifully in today’s first reading, that there will be plenty of opposition to God’s message from His all-too-often ungrateful people and that the prophet of that message will not be immune from physical danger. He will have to be a “fortified city,” “a pillar of iron” and a “wall of brass,” in order to deal with the opposition he’ll be facing, but the Lord is telling him that no matter what happens, He will never abandon him.
We know from our own history in this country that prophets of God’s will can suffer, even to the point of death. Just recently, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, and in a few days, we’ll be celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Both of these men were prophets of God’s will that everyone should live in freedom, and both of them paid a terrible price for their efforts.
However, even now, there are people among us who are willing to stand up and be counted for God no matter what the reaction will be. The first words of Jeremiah today are: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you…”
Every month here in our diocese, the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants are prophets who pray in front of abortion clinics and face great negative reaction. If the subject of abortion were ever put on an election ballot, abortion would probably still be very much a sad part of our lives – even after the Roman Catholic vote came in (“…Of course I’m opposed to it. But… better it be in place, ‘just in case.’”).
That, however, doesn’t stop the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants. They are prophets, just as Jeremiah was, and are just as dedicated as he was. There is a lot of Lincoln in them and a lot of Martin Luther King. There is also a lot of the ancient fable of Sisyphus in their efforts, rolling that stone up the hill and watching it roll back down again for years. The act of rolling that stone of Life up that slope is the act of prophets, and all of us are blessed by it. We need, and desperately so, people who will stand as prophets for the will of God.
Jesus Himself is a prophet in today’s Gospel as He speaks in His native Nazareth. His words are courageous and true, but His reaction almost reaches the point of being fatal to Him. He came into this world to remind people of the will of His Father, but the reaction to His truth reminds us of the fate of Jeremiah, Lincoln and King. People, then and now, are uncomfortable with the truth of God when it attacks their competency.
We have to realize that it’s not just Jeremiah or Jesus Himself who were called to be prophets: Now it’s our turn. It will be the battle now that it has always been, and we will need to be armed for it with powerful weapons. However, St. Paul reminds us today what that weapon should be and how powerful and infallible it will be for us. It is the sword of Love.
The enemies of God’s truth are now more powerful than ever. The opponents of Jeremiah didn’t have cable news. The foes of Jesus didn’t have the Internet. However, the sword of God’s love, used so well by the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, is strong as it ever was. It is still true that speaking in human or angelic language, being a clashing cymbal, possessing all of the knowledge of this sinful world, even having the power to move mountains are all daunting forces to confront.
Love, however, is still patient, kind, selfless, generous, charitable and capable of bearing all things, believing all things, hoping in all things and enduring all opposition. After all, when all the powers of their world fail, as someday they will, Love will still be standing, bloody perhaps, but not for one moment bowed.
A lot of people were probably glad when Lincoln died, but his memorial is the most beloved shrine in America today. A lot of people cheered when King was shot, but now we celebrate his birthday and his life. Many of Christ’s enemies stood beneath the cross, mocking Him as He died, but He rose again and He is still with us in His sacraments and His Church. As for tomorrow, the pews are filled with the next Jeremiahs, and the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants are ready to recite the Rosary again and again in hope.
We are being reminded today that the age of prophecy is not over and never will be as long as God has us. The invitation is here, and all that needs to be done is for us to say “yes” today just as Jeremiah did yesterday.
Editor’s Note: The Helpers of God’s Precious Infants will conduct their next prayer vigil for the unborn on Saturday, Feb. 16 starting with 7:30 a.m. Mass, celebrated by Msgr. Philip J. Reilly at St. James Cathedral Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn, and a peaceful procession to a local abortuary.