(The Nationalist, January 2005)
The baptism of Jesus which we recall annually at this time provides an opportunity for reflecting on our own baptism. In it, the priest anointed us on the head with oil, saying, ‘As Christ was anointed King, Priest and Prophet, so may you live always as a member of his body…’
For most of us, a prophet is one who foretells the future. But in the Bible, a prophet is one who forth-tells the present, who can read the signs of the times with perceptiveness and compassion, and who speaks the truth when all around is spin, PR or lying.
The word ‘prophet’ may conjure up images of a fiery orator, angrily – perhaps arrogantly – denouncing the sins of others. But the work of truth, which is at the heart of prophecy, can proceed quietly. I think of Séamus Mallon.
If people could say about you or me, ‘They will always speak the truth, no matter what it costs’, that would be great. Could it be said? Do we tell the truth, or do we tell lies? If you look at the soaps, characters lie to each other, seemingly without any ripple on their conscience. Truthfulness is the bedrock of credibility, trust and community.
Look at tribunals and court cases, especially those involving claims for money. You can see that there is a lot of lying, even under oath. I remember discussing this a few years ago with two people, both of whom said that, if they were in court, they would lie under oath if it was to their advantage.
There is more to truthfulness than just not telling lies. There is also thinking, doing and living the truth. Have we numbed ourselves into political correctness? Are we passively, or in fear (a great corrupter), going with the flow of the prevailing fads and fashions of society? Has our imagination become stultified so that we no longer even see the truth for ourselves, much less have the courage to speak it to others?
The work of the prophet is to speak, do, and live the truth. Truthfulness is about seeing things as they are, calling them by name, and challenging ourselves to take responsibility for our part in them. It is acting in accordance with the truth, even at personal expense. Jesus was more like a prophet than any other biblical figure.
Moral courage and intellectual honesty are in short supply in Irish life. They are deficiencies in our national character. If we can face that challenge, we will be respected and listened to. ‘As Christ was anointed King, Priest and Prophet, so may you live always as a member of his body…’