The Second Sunday of Advent, Year B

The Prophetic Role

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

Mark begins his gospel with a message of such hope. He begins with a claim that he is the bearer of good news for the world. He heralds in a new beginning, a fulfilling of the Old Testament as God breaks into the world in a new way. It is a big claim to say that you have something that is good news. What can be ‘good news’ for what is going on in the world, either in the early church of Mark, or for that matter in our modern world?

And so he sets the stage for telling the story of Jesus who is the Good News. ‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one bearing good news to Israel and announcing God’s coming kingdom!’ It is John the Baptist, the last of the great prophets of the Old Testament, the prophet anointed by the Spirit to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberation whom Mark announces. John offers repentance as the way in which we enter into the kingdom of God. He points beyond himself, offering hope through renewing a right relationship with God. He preaches conversion, μετανοια. His is a call for a major change in direction, to turn their lives around. It is a call for the whole nation to repent as preparation for the coming of the Messiah. But that Good News may not be what people want to hear. The prophet is called to say what needs to be said, not what people want to hear.

I was leading a Bible Study on the prophetic role some years ago. I commented that we are all called to be prophets. One person replied, "Oh, no! You're quite wrong about that. We're Anglicans! It's a non-profit organization!" Although she was not serious, I think that it is easy for us to really believe that. After all, to be a prophet is to be at best strange and at worst fanatical.

But I have news for you. We are all called to prophetic ministry. And I can hear the clamour already. "I'm in business! I'm no prophet!" Or "I'm a teacher! A nurse! Retired!" Or best of all, "What do we pay clergy for anyway?"

And so we need to take note of what it means to be a prophet. What is the role of the prophet? What is God calling us to do?

The word prophecy comes from the Greek, προπηετεσ, "one who speaks before others." Often we take it to be some kind of ecstatic speech, but in reality the prophet is a person who is totally grounded, who speaks with authority what has been discerned through a close walk with God, and above all, one who listens to God.

Perhaps looking at some modern day prophets will give us insight into the role. I had such a person in one of the congregations in which I served. His is a much-maligned occupation. He is a meteorologist, so he worked at predicting our weather. He gave me some insights into how that happens.

Apparently in 1987, Pope John Paul was preparing for his trip to Los Angeles, and he wanted to know what the weather would be like while he was there. A weather consultant was hired by the Vatican to make some recommendations. He looked at the last thirty years of weather in Los Angeles at the time of year that the Pope's visit was to take place. He came back with his report. "At the time of your visit," he said, "it is likely to be very hot and dry." The Pope made his plans accordingly and the trip went off as expected.

The Farmer's Almanacs work on the same premise. They look at the past and make a prediction based on reasonable expectations. That explains why they are often so close in their predictions.

Parents do exactly the same thing. A child comes asking permission to do something. Based on experience, the parent knows what the outcome will be, says no and gives a reasonable explanation about why. There are the usual arguments. And if the parent gives in and the outcome is as predicted, with any luck the child comes and says, "How did you know?" But probably not until twenty years later.

The same thing is true of the prophetic role in Scripture. It looks back at the past in order to predict what is to come. So often the story begins with God recounting to the prophet all that God has accomplished for God's people in the past. "Wasn't I with you at the Red Sea? Did I not provide you with manna in the desert? Now go and tell my people ..." And the prophet is able to speak with authority, "Thus says the Lord!" The prophet is able to challenge the people on a moral level, to speak what needs to be heard in light of past experience. That is the role of John the Baptist. He is a predictor of what will be if the people continue on the same path without repenting and turning to God. He uses present behaviour to indicate what is likely to occur. In other words, he is a truth teller, and while we know that the truth will set us free, we are not always anxious to accept it.

Let’s face it! We do not always listen to truth tellers. Consider what happens when truth is suppressed. Is that not the story of the Christian faith? John the Baptist came to bring good news, to speak the truth. He preached repentance. He helped people to see their need to change their ways. He prepared the way for Jesus. He paid for it with his life. Jesus’ ministry was one of speaking the truth. He brought a message of great hope to the poor and to those in need. He befriended the outcasts of society. His message was offensive to the rich and powerful. His path was the way of the cross.

It is a story that is repeated over and over again in our history. It is the story of countless martyrs whose lives we celebrate. It is the story of Bonheoffer, executed for his faith. It is the story of Oscar Romero, murdered in his church for speaking words of liberation to his people. It is the ongoing story of many who speak out about the injustices that occur in our world.

Yet it is our call to bear the prophetic word, to be truth tellers. That is the message of the Incarnation. It is why Jesus entered into the sinfulness of our human nature. Can we be open to times of vulnerability as times of opportunity for change and renewal? Can we speak out against injustice and bring about God’s Kingdom of Shalom?

That is the message of Advent, after all. It is a season of fresh beginnings. The writer of Isaiah gives people a message of hope and comfort. The exiles will return to Jerusalem on a straight and level road. “God is always faithful,” he proclaims, “a God of power and tenderness.” John the Baptist heralds the good news of Jesus’ coming.

Today we are called to be heralds of this same good News. We announce to a hurting world that Jesus Christ has experienced the worst we face and has come through it. Our relationship with God helps us to see beyond our world. We are called to heal those who have been wounded by life, to relight candles that have been dimmed or gone out through all the tragedies that occur in peoples’ lives. How do we see the possibilities? How do we respond to the needs of others? Our life and witness as Christians is to shed light in human society on issues to which people remain blind. There is so much to do. There is so much injustice.

So yes! We need prophets. Those who prophesy encourage others. The prophetic word builds up the church. We need those in our day and age who are the encouragers. Such people witness through their actions, through their loving concern towards others. They speak out against the injustices they see in the world. They are the voice of the voiceless.

As Christians we follow an unknown path that leads us into new ways of being. There is a tension in being on that path. But we are offered grace, comfort and guidance along the road. We are offered hope in God’s promises.