WISDOM LANGUAGE ...

 

2. Is this different from what we said at Fatima?


Those of you who were present at Fatima will recall that we spoke about the prophetic mission, the dimensions of prophecy and how to be prophetic. But now, is this something different? Are we faced with a different need? In order to put things in perspective, let me share a Biblical reflection. I have checked this with the professors at the Biblical Institute so as not to be very much off the track. That is the advantage of being in Rome – you can consult the experts!

It struck me that in the Bible we have three very different languages. These are clearly different languages that correspond to the experience of a people in their relationship with the Lord.

The first language is naturally the language of building a people. Israel did not have any identity at first. The people were slaves and migrants who were being exploited and had just come out of Egypt. The process of building an identity is recorded in the first books of the Bible. And here we have the language of history. It speaks about the great things God did for them. They mix history and mythology and glorify some facts and events so that the people can feel proud of belonging to this community. This is historical language which appears in the historical books of the Bible. It gives a sense of belonging and a sense of pride in being a people who can truly say “God is with us”.

Once the identity is established, the prophets appear and now we have prophetic language. The people’s faith is linked very much with their national identity, and this faith gets contaminated due to manipulation, political narrowness and exclusion. So the prophets appear to challenge the faith and purify the faith. They challenge the pilgrimages and festivals because these neglect the people. The core of religion is compassion, and when Israel forgets about compassion, the prophets appear. They remind people that God is not interested in offerings and sacrifices if the most important part of the covenant is neglected. So prophecy always arises within the community of faith and tries to purify that faith.

Then the Exile happened and the people felt betrayed and abandoned. Then most of Israel – and we should not soften the blow – yes, most of Israel lost their faith. Only a few, the remnant, kept their faith. Their faith was based on God acting in their history and when they lost the temple and were exiled to other countries, they wondered where God was. And many lost their faith. And then, the prophets disappear. When there is no faith, prophetic language does not make sense. Their challenges fall flat and there are no hearts to be moved. At this point, a new language emerges i.e. the language of wisdom. This is the wisdom of finding God in everything… now you see the connection to the topic. It is the language of God working in the family, in the children, in culture, in everything. This leads the people into a new relationship with God, a relationship of depth and wisdom. This is a language that makes sense tobelievers and unbelievers alike. Maybe it is the emerging language forthefrontiers in today’s world.

 

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