HEARING AND LISTENING TO THE TRUE PROPHETIC VOICE OF GOD IN FAITH AND HOPE............

On this 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time as we hear and ponder the Gospel Proclamation from Mark 6:1-6; where the prophetic mission of Jesus encounters resistance and cynicism that He is, or can be, a Prophet from the people of his native place of Nazareth, even though they were familiar with Him; because as a neighbor, as Mary's son, he is too ordinary and seemingly unable to possess prophetic wisdom precisely because he comes from Nazareth, in their minds.  Where Jesus comes from, not Who Jesus is, was the focus of how they viewed Him and their unwillingness to be open to accepting Him as a Prophet of God.  Yet, verification that Jesus is truly the prophetic voice in their presence they need to hear and to heed, and is even more, the consummate Prophet - The Christ Who is the Son of God is apparent in the characteristics that all of God's Prophets possess.  Had the Nazarenes to whom Jesus appeared and spoke to, been open to accepting the message He was trying to preach to them they would have discovered and experienced the hallmarks  of prophecythat assure and underscore the authenticity of Jesus Christ and every Prophet in history.  Jesus possesses the five marks of every true God centered and sent Prophet.  First, a true Prophet is as we witness in the First Reading from Ezekiel and Mark's Gospel Proclamation today at Sunday Mass, wields perseverance and  insistence in remaining anchored in the message they are sent to deliver.  Despite opposition, indifference, or obstacles, a  Prophet is always honest in standing by the prophecy they are meant to proclaim.  Second, a true Prophet does not deny or cover-up limitations or weaknesses that exist within them, but acknowledge and accept the reality of what St. Paul describes in today's Second Reading as a, "thorn in the flesh", that is indeed a part of the Prophet.  The thorn of weakness or limitation does not prevent the prophetic voice to effectively preach the care, compassion, and love of God.  Third, a true Prophet bears the mark of fervently seeking to convince the persons being proclaimed to, to accept God's gift of Faith.  An authentic, divinely, commissioned Prophet is steeped in preaching the message of Believing in God and accepting the Truth, just as Jesus does in the passage from Mark's Gospel on this 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  True Prophets are ordinary human beings who bring a supernatural message of goodness, love, and everlasting life from God, if we choose to believe and embrace the message being prophetically imparted.  The Fourth sign marking the genuineness of a true Prophet is the content of the prophetic message being proclaimed.  Prophets are sent when people have broken communion with God, and thwarted the togetherness and the unity that are the necessary aspects of the Human-Divine relationship and our Redemption.  Prophets challenge us to reform our lives and return to the intention and commitment of the communion that forms and sustains nor as isolated, or self concerned individuals, but as engaged, self giving citizens of the global village, who honor and carry out our Discipleship in Christ Jesus,  The Fifth certainty that marks a True Prophet is the sign of Hope that he or she proclaims by Faithful Witness to delivering a message of optimism and the opportunity, to accomplish our purposes for being alive that are anchored in our Hope in Jesus, as our Brother and Friend, as well as our Ultimate Prophet and Universal Redeemer.  God's Plan for Creation and the Salvation of Humankind will be fulfilled in and for us by keeping the prophetic voice of Jesus in our sight.  Our openness to discovering and discerning the Prophecy of Jesus Christ is the lesson we are to take forward as we extend to one another the consolation, encouragement, empowerment, forgiveness, healing, and rejoicing, that are indispensable components of our Prophetic Communion with God in Christ............Fr.  Troy