Do we hear what the prophets say?
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
Gospel: Mt 17:9a, 10-13
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121325.cfm
In Matthew 7:20, Jesus says, “By their fruits you will know them.” Jesus was speaking about how you can determine who is a false prophet and who is a true prophet, by what fruit they produce. Sometimes you need to wait a while or know where to look to see the fruit because prophets don’t control how their message will have an impact
Each of us still has a free-will which means, even if someone shares God’s message, people still have the freedom to go against it. And often, with prophets, the message is received by unlikely sources, mostly those on the fringe of society and oftentimes at the expense of the elites. Part of the prophets message normally is a leveling of the playing field. One group isn’t being chosen over another, but it’s a matter of who is willing to respond and receive the message. When we’re in a position of thriving, why would we change? If we are comfortable with or have accepted the status quo, there is uncertainty and risk with change. But, when our suffering is great, we’re more open to hearing and responding to a message of hope?
This is Jesus’s message in today’s gospel. John the Baptist was the new Elijah who came to restore all things, but the people did not listen to him. They continued to maintain their regular life without any significant change. They disregarded his message and went on their way. We know that some people did, but not the masses of people that should have. If they allowed God’s intention to come to fruition, it would have been so much more, but not everyone heeded and truly heard the message. Jesus predicted that his experience would be the same. God’s intention with Jesus was so much more than what came into being, but they didn’t let it come to fruition. Jesus didn’t need to die for our sins. Jesus was always bringing salvation to all regardless of if he was crucified or not; yet, those of Jesus’s time and society decided to have him killed. It makes me wonder what we’d do with Jesus today, and I’m afraid that the result would still probably be the same, but I hope more people would truly hear and respond to the message firsthand.
God didn’t intend for his son to be killed, we killed him. We killed our savior. While a prophecy was fulfilled, it was not the intention of the action. The prophecy existed because we were not yet what we needed to be, not that it was God’s intention for it to be that way. God wanted to be surprised. God wanted the prophecy to not come true. God hoped for more from us, so God still took the chance anyway. When we recognize God’s attempts, it allows us to see that we’re not there yet. Such observations have the potential for repentance, or transformation. God keeps trying in hopes that we’ll wake up to it and change. God will keep giving us the means and ways even if we’re going to reject it. When will we all learn to take God up on it? When will we surprise God by responding to the call?
