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OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT IN OUR PROPHETIC VOCATION - stephenkhoo - 07-23-2014 11:24 AM
OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT IN OUR PROPHETIC VOCATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: JER 1:1, 4-10; MT 13:1-9
http://www.universalis.com/20140723/mass.htm
Today’s scripture readings have special significance for all of us. Jeremiah in the first reading faced real difficulties with regard to his call to be the prophet of God. The apostles too, were well aware that their proclamation of the Good News was not always welcomed. In fact, to be a prophet of God or to be an apostle of Christ is considered by the world as a persona non grata. What are the challenges for us Christians who try to exercise our prophetic mission in the world? The readings of today highlight to us two main factors, namely, diffidence and discouragement.
Firstly, most of us are in some ways are like Jeremiah who was diffident of his ability to be the prophet of God. He felt that the task was simply beyond him. We too in some ways are diffident of our call. Which one of us does not at times feel unworthy or inadequate in our mission? We feel that we are poor role models, or do not know enough about the Bible or our faith, and so are hesitant to talk about our Christian beliefs, or to defend our Christian values. As a result, we tend to hide the fact that we are Catholics, or shy away from speaking against the unjust and immoral practices of the world.
Secondly, for those of us who are engaged in some form of ministry, like Jeremiah we sometimes feel like giving up because we face discouragement. Prophets, we are all aware, are never accepted in their own country. This was true of Jeremiah, the apostles and Jesus. Jeremiah started prophesying before the exile when the kings of Judah were aligned with Assyria and at the same time were importing pagan practices into their religion. He spoke out against such unholy political and religious alliance. He was unpopular because of his temple sermons. Eventually, he was forced out of the temple and he had to carry out his prophetic call by having his messages dictated to his secretary Baruch. Jeremiah certainly must have been disillusioned with the whole situation.
This is the same message intended by the parable of the sower in today’s gospel. This parable is told not only to the crowd but for the apostles as well. The point of today’s parable is that people will not always accept our message. This is because some minds are shut. They are at the edge of the path, totally uninvolved and disinterested. Others simply are too shallow in their thinking and perception and thus cannot see the deeper truth and reflect deeply on their lives. Such people too will also miss the message. Then there are those whose minds are preoccupied with too many things. They are involved in too many projects and thus do not have time to focus on the more critical issues. They are more concerned with projects and with activities; with the externals, but not concerned with the depth of what they are doing. In the face of such people, we cannot but feel discouraged that our message is falling on deaf ears.
If we are feeling this way; if we feel like giving up, then we need to strengthen our mission and zeal. How? Firstly, by being compassionate. Compassion is born from our identification with the people and situation that we are in. Hence, when we are touched by the problems and challenges before us, we recover our zeal and commitment. Conversely, when we lose touch with our people and their problems, we also lose our compassion. Indeed, if Jeremiah had persisted in his calling, it was because he was one with the misery of his people and out of sincere concern for his people, he continued to prophesy even when he was misunderstood and rejected. Jesus, too, was very much with His people. He knew the people were hungry for God and for the truth. That is why he brought the Good News from the Synagogue to the ordinary people at the seashore and in the market place. The choice of using parables as the vehicle of His message illustrates Jesus’ awareness of the lives of His people
But compassion in itself is not sufficient. We need to have the vision. Compassion without vision is to have a heart but without eyes. Compassion without vision can sometimes cause more harm than good. It is important that we have a clear vision of what we are called to do. Jeremiah was certainly conscious of what God wanted of him. In the first reading, we are told that he was called to be the light of the nations; that is, he was called to proclaim Yahweh not only to his fellow Israelites but to the surrounding pagan countries as well. And the way to do this was “to tear up and to knock down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” Yes, the work of Jeremiah was not just to destroy but to rebuild.
Similarly, we too must be clear of our vision as Christians. We must be clear of what we are called to do. To lose sight of our vision is to lose our mission as well. We must realize, like Jesus, that preaching the Good News does not always bring about immediate and complete success. Peoples’ concerns are like the different kinds of soil. But we should never be discouraged simply because we do not bear much fruit. The truth is that although not all will receive the Word, we can be certain that some will be inspired by us and change and convert.
But this compassion and vision can only come about with personal conviction that God is with us in our mission. If Jeremiah could respond to God’s call, it was not because he felt that he was the right man for the job but because of the assurance he received from God that He would be there to protect him and to put His words in his mouth. It was this that gave him the courage to speak out even when he was eventually evicted from the temple. But instead of feeling despondent, he found new ways to proclaim God’s message. Jeremiah was not a person who reacted negatively but acted positively to the challenges facing him. He was never a victim of circumstances but a martyr.
As with Jeremiah so it is for us. Without this personal relationship and experience of God’s presence and call in our lives, we cannot remain faithful to our vision. This is especially so in times of crises when we are unsure of ourselves. For this reason, today, we need to pray with Jeremiah that we be filled with the Wisdom and abiding presence of God in our minds and hearts. Until we feel the presence of God in our entire being, we cannot find the courage and the will to carry on with our mission. Yes, Jesus is telling us the same message in the parable of the sower. We should never allow failures and difficulties in our mission to paralyze us. We must continue to reach out and surrender the mission into the hands of God. Success is within the hands of God. Our task is simply to be a faithful instrument of the Lord.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh
Archbishop of Singapore