In the first reading, we are told about the Israelites rejecting the prophet Amos. As he humbly explains, it was not his choice to prophesy or not, it was the Lord’s calling: “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.” What is the relevance of Amos to us? Surely we are not prophets, are we? Many of us have forgotten that Baptism made us priests, prophets and kings. We who are baptized, have this threefold mission. Our prophetic ministry would be quite different from the prophesying in the Old Testament. Not all of are called, to walk into the houses of Parliament. Our prophetic ministry is to become the voice of the voiceless. Often we see people posting on social media, about their support for various movements and political situations across the globe. But in our own backyard, how many problems have we pushed under the carpet? We try to become champions of minorities in the United States while not giving enough attention to the minorities in our own countries.

How can we become effective prophets? We need a foundation of prayer, and seeking God’s voice. This is not a one time thing. We are to seek the Lord on a daily basis. If we do not act in accordance with God’s will, we might become mere social activists. It is a praiseworthy thing to be active in society, however as Christians, our calling is greater. We are to seek the Lord’s mind, as to where he wants us to speak up. At times, being prudent is also a prophetic mission. As we reflect more on our prophetic ministry, it becomes clear that, left to ourselves we will hardly gain much through worldly methods. But if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, he will give us the right words at the right time, he will guide us to be quiet when it is necessary. He will tell us what has to be done in each situation.

As we read in the Gospel, the Lord has already sent us into the world to fulfil his mission of establishing the Kingdom of God. It is a privilege but it comes with its own burdens too. We can no longer keep quiet as injustice and inequality prevails. In prayer and supplication, we are to intercede that God’s will would become a reality in our homes, workplaces, and countries. Let us fortify ourselves with prayer, so that we will be fully equipped to accomplish the mission that we have been entrusted with. Nothing is impossible for God, and nothing is impossible for the one who believes. Let us utilize the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our ministries. Let us speak a healing word to someone, let us help people to discern what the Lord is telling them in prayer, above all else let us lead more people to become mature disciples.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for calling me into the prophetic ministry, empower me with the gifts of the Holy Spirit – Amen.