Readings: 2nd Sam. 12:7-10; Responsorial Psalm Ps PS 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11; Gal. 2:16, 19-21; Gospel Lk. 7:36-50.
Theme: Talking Truth to Power: The Burden and the Beauty
Beloved in Christ, today the Prophet Nathan stands out as a model for all prophets and the prophetic enterprise. We shall highlight how being the mouthpiece of God can be both a blessing for the dogged and a curse for the lily-levered. We shall also draw lessons from God's benevolent summons to us to be less judgmental about others and quick in seeking God's forgiveness. We shall take them one by one:
1. From the first reading, we note that despite the sublime position of King David as a political and religious leader of his time, the prophet of God was moved by a consuming fire for truth, justice, moral and spiritual reform to confront a murderous and adulterous King.
2. Did Prophet Nathan think of the implication of such an action? Did he remember that Uriah the Hittite died in the fireline as a result of the King's order? Did he take into cognisance the fact that the King could have him locked up, summarily condemned and killed? Did the prophet realise that it was up to him to tell the King the truth but up to the King to accept it or not? 3. The implication of Nathan's unpalatable message to the King was clear. It was either a win-win deal or a lose-lose case - humanly speaking, the prophet could lose everything, his family, his office -i.e., the prophetic mandate and of course, his life but the King had little to lose except divine retribution which he could have put aside.
4. One of the important lessons the prophet leaves for contemporary prophets is that he did not consider the physical or material implication of conveying the Lord's message to a ruler who had sinned against God and man. How many times have we talked truth to power as pastors of souls? Have some of us not compromised our stands on Church teaching due to fear or favour?
5. The prophet Nathan had the option of sugar-coating or arm-twisting the message of God. If it were in out time, one would not have been surprised to hear a cleric praising the King for dealing with a mere subject who would not have him take his wife. The King would have been greeted with something like: "Long live the King. It serves that nonentity right. Doesn't he know that you're the king? May he rot in hell." Such is the charlatan voice of court-prophets!
6. Chances are that some present day clerics speak from different sides of the mouth depending on who is involved. It took a Nathan to rock the boat and call a spade, a spade. As a Church, we remember with nostalgia how Pope Clement VII insisted on Church teaching when he told King Henry VIII that the Church would not legitimise his illegal amorous union. This among other things, was what led to the schism of the Church of England which is known today as the Anglican Church or Anglican Communion that took place in the 16th century. The persecution against the Church of Rome by way of killing of bishops and priests, confiscation of Church property and forceful conversion of Catholics to Anglicanism overnight are sad episodes to remember. 7. Painful as the Pope's decision to please God rather than man was, it demonstrated that as a Church, we have no right to change the teachings of Christ or bend ecclesiastical law because somebody's ox is gorged.
8. Autocratic and despotic regimes also have something to ponder about. The likes of hitler, Idi Amin, Charles Taylor and Muammar Qadhafi of our time should have a rethink because the corruption of power prevents those in position of authority from accepting human limitation. In Nigeria for instance, the annulment of the most free and fair election ever held in the history of the country on 12 June, 1993 reminds us about the unheroic role actors like former President Ibrahim Babangida played in our polity. Like King David, they must come down from their high horses of power to seek human and divine forgiveness where they have failed God and man. 9. Although he had double powers as a secular and religious leader, King David did not use his position to suppress or manipulate the truth. He neither saw Nathan's prophesy as a personal assault or confrontation nor did he see it as an opportunity to take his own pawn of flesh by eliminating both the messenger and the message. Indeed, secular leaders have something to learn here! 10. Ours is a society that hates truth. The many cases of clergymen being kidnapped leaves one with the impression that these abductions are not only about commercial-kidnapping but a calculated attempt by powers that be to stifle the truth and quieten the Church. This is indeed sad!
11. Secular leaders ought to enrol into the school of King David to learn something of his humility and contrition. The popular "Have Mercy on me God in Your Kindness" in the Responsorial Psalm becomes for us a recipe for true contrition. Playing the ostrich in the face of sin is mocking the divine.
12. As people of God, our liturgy invites us to pay attention to the promptings of the spirit in this Jubilee Year of Mercy by acknowledging our sins before God. God is rich in mercy and abiding in love. After all, to err is human and to forgive is divine. The message of the second reading that "the Son of God loved us and gave himself up for us" comes alive here.
13. Those who hold the stakes as custodians of truth and justice must also learn to be patient with the erring. Peace, reconciliation and justice can only take place when those responsible for teaching what is right have painstakingly passed the message to their flock.
14. It will be difficult for the hierarchy of the Church to either direct or correct secular authorities if they are judgemental of them. Chances are that members of the laity frown at priests having anything to do with those in authority. This was the attitude of the Pharisees seeing Jesus eating at the house of Simon a rich official of the Pharisee's party and scandalously allowing a sinful woman to touch him in public. God's mercy is boundless and so should ours be - The sinful woman in the gospel enjoyed it and so will all those who run to him.
15. What is essential is that truth, like tea must be served everyone equally. No sacred cows. Since talking truth to power may lead to the burden of persecution or death, pastors of souls should be consoled about the beauty of its reward - fairness to all, liberation of those in bondage, entrenching the integrity of the prophetic call and above all, eternal life - Happy June 12. God bless!
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