Priest, Prophet, King and pain in the neck

The Liturgy of Christian baptism anoints the person as priest, prophet and king. Some of the difficulties in living out this mission are highlighted in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. The young Jeremiah faces rejection of the warning that God asked him to deliver as prophet and personally is threatened with death because of the prophecy. Our need to speak the truth can get us in difficulty with the people to whom we are inspired to speak. The tradition does not allow us to duck these responsibilities. The psalmist proclaims that “zeal for your house that has consumed me”. This rejection is the consequence of the zeal instilled by the indwelling Spirit which cannot be quelled. Matthew recalls Jesus rejection at home in Nazareth where in spite of the wonders and wisdom which had moved other communities, the people of Nazareth saw only Mary’s son, the carpenter. The fulfillment of the Baptismal anointing as prophet may require the acceptance of humiliation and rejection by those to whom the help is directed. When Christians consider living the fullness of the Way, the consequence of death by the state is the life model of the Shepherd.