Fourteenth Sunday of the Year, B – July 7, 2024.
Readings: Ezekiel 2:2-5; Ps 122:1-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 & Gospel – Mark 6:1-6.
Our first reading discloses that it is in the “season of dry bones of defeat, plunder, and death – Babylonian captivity” that the Prophet Ezekiel was called to offer hope. In the second reading, St. Paul bears testimony to how Satan tried to be a thorn in his flesh as he tried to carry out his missionary mandate, but the Lord assured him: “My grace is enough for you.” The gospel discloses how the people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, treated him with contempt. Jesus sighed: “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his relations, and in his own house.” While we pray for our priests and religious, we must guard against drinking the poisonous chalice of rebellion against God’s Church and passing the same to others.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, our liturgy unveils the mandate and burden of prophethood. It underlines the indispensable role of prophets in society on the one hand and the contempt they face on the other. It discloses various challenges prophets must deal with while assuring that they should not lose focus of their divine mandate.
Background & Summary of the Readings
God called the Prophet Ezekiel around 597 BCE when the Babylonians overran Jerusalem and defeated Israel’s wee army. To make matters worse, they placed Zedekiah, their puppet on the throne. Within a decade, Zedekiah attempted to resist the overbearing influence of the Babylonians by aligning with Egypt. This brought down the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar on Israel. This led to the removal of the king and court to Babylon – Israel ceased to exist as a nation for many years as evident in the allegorical narrative of Ezekiel 17.
Our first reading (Ezekiel 2:2-5) discloses that it is in this “season of dry bones of defeat, plunder, and death – Babylonian captivity” that the Prophet Ezekiel was called to preach. God called the prophet Ezekiel to minister to those who have rebelled against him. Although the prophetic mandate was wrapped in opposition and rebellion, the text suggests that the prophet had little or no freedom in fulfilling it.
In the second reading, (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) St. Paul bears testimony to how Satan tried to be a thorn in his flesh as he tried to carry out his missionary mandate. He, however, disclosed that the Lord assured him thrice: “My grace is enough for you.” Being “content” with his “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and agonies – for Christ’s sake” Paul emphasised that: “It is when I am weak that I am strong.”
The gospel (Mark 6:1-6) discloses how the people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, treated him with contempt. They referred to his trade (carpentry) and his mother (Mary), and cousins (James, Jose, Jude, and Simon) as familiar grounds to take him for granted. Because the origin of the Messiah was unknown (John 7:27) his relatives could not believe he was the Messiah. Perhaps they were trying to tell him, “Physician, heal yourself” (Luke 4:24). To this, Jesus said: “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his relations, and in his own house.” As a result, he could not work many miracles there. He was amazed at their rejection of him and their lack of faith.
Pastoral Lessons
- Do Not Lose Hope: In the face of trials, temptations, and tribulations in our private or corporate lives, we are challenged not to lose hope like the sons and daughters of Israel who suffered defeat, plunder, and death during the Babylonian captivity but were assured of hope, restoration, and salvation by the Lord through the Prophet Ezekiel.
- Insist on the Divine Mandate: Contemporary prophets are urged to stand their ground against any malice by insisting on their divine mandate as the voice of the voiceless bearing in mind that their calling does not provide immunity to sin¸ weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and agonies; after all, St. Paul cried out in the second reading that Satan was torn in his flesh.
- Respect the Divine Mandate: The contempt against both Ezekiel and Jesus points to similar incidences in the scripture: Miriam opposed Moses and suffered leprosy – Num. 12:1-16; Michal criticised David for dancing before the act of the covenant and became barren – 2 Sam. 6:23, and two children who jeered at Elisha for being bald-head were eaten by bears – 2 Kings 2:23-25) – We must avoid too much familiarity with priests and religious that underlines their divine mandate and comprises the gospel.
- Act with Integrity: The saying “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” should make pastoral agents realise that contempt for prophets is an ancient phenomenon that must be confronted with moral probity in a challenging world where money and power appear to lure ministers away from preaching the true gospel.
- Pray for Clerics: Amid an opposition force that stands against the message of liberation and salvation of souls, the faithful are urged to pray for their Priests/Pastors that the Lord may guide them to lead the flock to greener pastures.
Summary Lines
- Our first reading discloses that it is in the “season of dry bones of defeat, plunder, and death – Babylonian captivity” that the Prophet Ezekiel was called to preach.
- In the second reading, St. Paul bears testimony to how Satan tried to be a thorn in his flesh as he tried to carry out his missionary mandate.
- The Lord assured him thrice: “My grace is enough for you.”
- The gospel discloses how the people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, treated him with contempt.
- Jesus said: “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his relations, and in his own house.”
Conclusion
Priests are urged to shun pride and resist the temptation to play God in all matters by making arbitrary decisions. They should emulate Christ, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, by relying on him for the grace to be worthy ministers. Just as Jesus could not work miracles in his hometown because of their lack of faith, many priests and religious find it difficult to counsel/advise their siblings or friends because “familiarity breeds contempt.” We must guard against drinking the poisonous chalice of rebellion against God’s Church and passing the same to others. May the family members and friends of contemporary prophets and indeed, all Christians not help in counteracting the faith but supporting their very own in the missionary enterprise. May pastors of souls be emboldened like Ezekiel to speak truth to power. Amen.
