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| Photo: Bp Dziuba |
I was asked to preside Mass during the SACBC Plenary Session at Mariannhill
Here is part of the homily (on Mark 6:1-6)
You might or might know have heard the story of this bishop who calls one of his priests to his office and announces he is appointing him parish priest of his own parish, the place where he was born. The priest said: “Bishop, I will certainly do as you say. I believe you do remember the saying: “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house”. The bishop replied: “I do remember the passage but there is nothing you have to worry about because no one would expect you out of all people to be a prophet!”.
I guess that we, missionaries, never have to deal with this. We never experience the challenge of being a prophet among our own people. By now I have spent most of my life away from my country.
I think we like prophets. At least some of us. I remember my years in the seminary, when I was studying theology in Bogotá (Colombia). While cleaning the house on Saturday mornings we used to listen to the recorded homilies of the one we now call St Oscar Arnulfo Romero. It always amazes me that - so soon after his death - we were able to get hold of the tapes with the homilies.
What I was thinking about is that we seem to be used to “a prophet”. We are used to an individual.
Is that OK? Is it still OK to think of just an individual? If by our baptism we share in the prophetic role of Christ, should we not be working towards building “prophetic communities”? In fact, immediately after today's passage we read: "Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs"
I hope and pray we can work towards building “prophetic communities” which are not formed by the “usual suspects” but somehow “unexpected” ones:
- It is very good but not strange to have a strong statement on sexual abuse by Archbishop Tlhagale or Archbishop Brislin but, would it not be more powerful to have it from a group of priests in a diocese or even from a group of seminarians committing themselves to say “no” to any type of abuse today and in their future ministry?;
- A couple of years' ago we had in Eswatini a march against Gender Based Violence. It was great to see the support we had, particularly from women and teenagers, but would it not be much better if these marches were led by men in our diocese?
- Last week I got a WhatsApp message where someone was accusing people from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia planning the poisoning of the people in Soweto... It would not be strange to receive a message from a Justice and Peace group about it but, would it not make a stronger impact if a parish pastoral council would state they stand for foreigners?
Difficult as it is, I do believe we need to support our prophets if any and we need to work towards building prophetic communities too. Not because we expect miracles – today's Gospel says that Jesus did not make many - but because we need that voice which reminds us where fullness of life comes from.
