Three boys in the school yard were bragging about who had the better father. The first boy says, “My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, and they give him $100.” The second boy says, “That’s nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, and they give him $1000.” The third boy says, “My Dad is even better than that. He scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, calls it a sermon, and it takes six men just to collect all the money!”
Sadly, there are preachers today who are mere “professional prophets.” They preach for the money. While it is true, that as modern day prophets, preachers rely on the generosity of their congregation for their daily bread, payment, profit or income must not be the basis for preaching. Career prophets tend to soften their message and speak only of what their listeners wanted to hear so that they could win their hearts and gain support. Not so, with the prophet Amos. He delivered the hard truth to the king and his priest. He prophesied as the Lord commanded him to. In spite of the dangers of becoming unpopular, being rejected and persecuted, Amos courageously spoke the word of God.
In the Gospel, Jesus sent out His disciples, in pairs, to preach, exorcise and heal. They were to take nothing for their journey. They were to live in poverty and be content with whatever is offered them. They were forewarned of the dangers. They shouldn’t be conscious of self-interest and personal comfort. They didn’t have to do it alone. They have got company.
Life can be very mysterious and complex. We struggle to understand our experiences. We want to know our purpose in life, our vocation. There are so many uncertainties that lead to fear and anxiety. In all these, Jesus always reminds us, “Fear not,” “Have faith in God,” “Peace be with you.”
To be a disciple or a prophet can be very daunting and overwhelming because of the dangers attached with being one. But let us not forget that there are also gifts and blessings. In St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, through this beautiful prayer, we are assured of God’s many blessings such as adoption, freedom, forgiveness, faith and salvation. God’s grace is always enough for us. Let us encourage one another. We are not alone for God sent us all in pairs, empowered and blessed.
Blessings,
Fr Gilbert
