Our Holy Father came to the United States this week as a prophet which is someone who speaks God’s word or who speaks in the name of God. Whether speaking to Congress or to the children in Harlem, he spoke of God.
Moses was a prophet but he wasn’t the only one. There were many prophets in the Old Testament…Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel…and countless more whose names we do not know. Moses was not jealous that the spirit of prophesy was given to others besides him, in fact he said, “Were that ALL the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit upon them ALL!”
A priest is a prophet. But so is every who is baptized. In fact at our baptism as sacred chrism (oil) is placed on our foreheads, we are made “priests, prophets & kings” as Christ was. A parishioner was still being a prophet even after her death, at her own funeral. She wrote the petitions used since she planned her own funeral. One of them said, “For my children & grandchildren, that the Catholic Faith that is so important to me may be important to them.” Pope Francis came to us a prophet. But he called each of us to be prophets with him. How will you speak about God and about your faith this week?