Every era needs a prophetic voice. It’s the voice that speaks against injustice in the world. It’s the voice in the wilderness that prepares the way of God. This voice is only heard in the context of the wildness. It doesn’t exist in a place where no one suffers, and this place doesn’t exist! Look around us. We’re living in a very unjust world. Because of this reality filled with suffering (and stress), we Christians are called to be that prophetic voice in the wilderness.
We can easily imagine some of the prophetic voices such as Rosa Parks, Malcomb X, and Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s and Greta Thunberg and Amanda Gorman in our time. Rosa Parks exemplifies that a prophetic voice doesn’t always have to come with fashionable verbiage and bombast. She only said, “Nah.” with her act of courage that would cost her a great deal of hardship and sacrifice. A prophetic voice doesn’t need to be aggressively expressed, raising one’s arms with clenching fists. Amanda Gorman at the inauguration of President Joe Biden with her graceful gestures was this elegant prophetic voice that speaks, “We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what ‘just’ is isn’t always justice.” In the time of Jesus, his cousin John was that prophetic voice. It seems he wasn’t too afraid of making dangerous political statements. For those who think that religious people, particularly Christians, must keep quiet about political matters, think again. Both John and Jesus were politically accused and executed as criminals in the eyes of justice in their time. They received a death sentence after all. It’s clear why they were “legally” murdered. They said something that bothered those in power. John, for example, corrected Herod’s incestual behavior of marrying his brother’s wife. He called them out, and they also knew it was wrong. They just didn’t want to hear anymore and decided to shut him down by killing him. Herod, on the other hand, seemed to have mixed feelings about John. In the gospel lesson, we hear, “...he [Herod] protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.” I think I can get what Herod was thinking and feeling. Can you think of a friend who can sincerely be honest with you so that she or he can tell you when you’re doing something wrong? When this friend gives me brutally unfiltered feedback such as “something you desire right now is actually a stumbling block to your flourishing,” I would feel a bit upset and perplexed. But since I can trust our deep friendship, this friend is saying it for my sake. Whenever I have complicated issues to deal with, I’ll definitely share them with this friend. John knew sharing his thoughts and constructive criticism would cost him death. But he did it anyway. This is the point we need to further reflect. What do you imagine John’s true motive was to speak against Herod? Was it to show the world how he was so much more righteous and holier than Herod? I strongly doubt it. I think he did it out of compassion and good faith. He wanted Herod to do the right thing. If we define love as one’s sincere desire for the good of the beloved, John had it for Herod. This interpretation of today’s gospel lesson then provides us a prerequisite for a prophetic voice. It’s love. This requires self-examination that we ought to question ourselves if we have a genuine desire for the good of others who we’re to speak up our prophetic voice. Is it motivated by self-righteousness or anger towards that person? Am I being judgmental that I want to expose that person’s mistakes and wrongdoings or compassionate that I truly care about that person’s wellbeing? We might see others’ faults immediately. But we better keep quiet before we spiritually examine ourselves because love has not yet been born. Our emptying of self-righteousness and judgmental attitude grows love and grace in our hearts so that it will drive us to speak the prophetic voice regardless of consequences and do what’s required. This prophetic action is always based on loving-kindness and compassion that it is not afraid of self-sacrifice. Let’s think about how Christians are perceived in this world. Are we considered the people of the prophetic voice that speaks against injustice because of love? As a person of color, when I talk and think about racism in our nation, it is crucial for me to examine myself so that I’m not consumed by rage against white body supremacy. Any voice born out of rage (not anger which is pure energy that helps us move forward) is harmful to me and those whom I’m standing against. My spiritual duty is to rechannel my anger energy to grow compassion for them, believing that my voice will make both of us become better-loving humankind. As much as I need them, they need me to live a fulfilling human life. Our diversity makes our lives together fruitful, beautiful, and holy. In these human lives shared together, something divine arises. Let love be born in our hearts, and let love be the foundation of our prophetic voice in the wilderness that we’re living right now. “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” “I will, with God's help.” (“The Baptismal Covenant” BCP, p. 305) |
Paul"...life up your love to that cloud [of unknowing]...let God draw your love up to that cloud...through the help of his grace, to forget every other thing." Archives
January 2025
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