Deacon Greg's Homily 12-10-17

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Prophets Provoke Presence

First, an Advent thematic overview...

Week One: Watch and Be Ready!
Week Two: Prepare the Way!
Week Three: Point to the Lord!
Week Four: Welcome the Lord!

These shoes of mine ran a Marathon! As unlikely as it seems, your Deacon ran today’s Rocket City Marathon in just over 5 hours! My Brother and a Team of Angels pushed me in what’s called a Racer’s Chariot!

This was an idea of my brother some time last Spring, and all he wanted to do was involve his brother in something that he loved to do. At first the idea seemed crazy, but then he found a local chapter of an organization who assists the disabled to be included in events such as this. Ainsley’s Angels was founded by the parents of a girl named Ainsley, who was disabled. They simply asked the crazy question, how can people like my daughter run in this race? Their efforts, the work of local volunteers, like our host Mitch, the vision of a guy like my brother, and the movement of the Holy Spirit helped me run my first marathon!

Prophets Provoke Presence
  • A Prophet is one who speaks, acts, or even writes under the extraordinary influence of god so as to both proclaim and to make the proclamation of God credible... My brother is no prophet, but he did link up with others who saw things in ways that could point the disabled to be included in a road race!
  • To Provoke, means to be the catalyst for action, or stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one in someone... The organization that helped me participate in today’s marathon were able to provoke organizers all over America to simply include this in their events.
  • In our faith tradition, the Prophet who provokes becomes the indicator of God's Presence in our midst, who is there to take us where we need to go!  My experience today saw the presence of God in the many encouraging hello’s, cheers, and genuine care… God was in the very hearts of people who just came out to run a race!
The PROPHET Isaiah sought to discover the presence of the Lord in the very midst of exile. His message of comfort and consolation alerted people to long forgotten dimensions of their God, as he reminded them of the time when they could proclaim that "the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together!" He reassures them that their image of a tender shepherd who "feeds the flock; gathers the lambs, carries them in his bosom, leading them with care," is indeed real! This confidence, and dare I say, speaking from the perspective of those in exile, craziness, seeks to PROVOKE the reawakening of old dreams, daring to bring the real PRESENCE of God into the very midst of their lives. The Prophet Isaiah provokes us into realizing God's presence when he announces, to us here today, that even in the midst of the craziness and chaos that are these times, "Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward!"

In today's Psalm, our request is that we be allowed to SEE the love of God in his kindness, asking Him to grant us this reward, which is SALVATION! Our being provoked and encouraged, even in the midst of darkness, to begin seeking the light of the Lord, where he is found, and calling on him when he is near, brings us to the love of God. Prophets sound crazy trying to convince us, and witnesses are sometimes greeted with skepticism, but even as we approach the beginning of Winter, nature itself will also reveal that God restores life.

Prophets Provoke Presence

Enter the craziest of them all, our Patron, St. John the Baptist. As we hear today in Mark's Gospel, "John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey [proclaiming,] 'One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.'" John was the one that Isaiah foretold that pick up that "Prophet's Mantle," and proclaim with all the confidence in his heart, "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way." This voice of one crying out in the desert asks us to proclaim the same, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." inviting the world to more than just a baptism of repentance and forgiveness, but also a life empowered by the gifts of the Holy Spirit!
  • Be a Prophet and allow your life to be under the influence of God so as to both proclaim and to make the proclamation of God credible.
  • Provoke others and call them to a level of authentic action, so as to give rise to a strong reaction or emotion.
  • Be indicators of God's Presence and help usher him into our midst, so you can point to him, so HE can take us take us where we need to go!

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