Eyes wide open

At Baptism we are named prophets, as well as priests and kings or queens, when the fragrant chrism oil is placed lavishly upon our heads celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit.  We bear a fragrance that lingers for a lifetime.  Two prayers follow, one speaking of our white baptismal garment, the other speaking of the candle to be kept burning brightly as we make our journey with Jesus Who leads us to the banquet table in our Father’s house.  Then we hear the prayer fashioned on Mark’s gospel (Mark 7:31-37).  



The ears, eyes and mouth of the baptized are touched with the prayer of prophecy fulfilled.  Although our senses are touched it’s not a prayer of healing.  Indeed we have just been anointed with the Chrism and our dignity proclaimed.  This prayer speaks of how God now works among us and through us; “May your ears be open to hear the voices of God in all the ways God will speak to you; may your eyes be open to see the wonders of God in the people and events that will fill you; and may your lips be open to laugh and to learn the languages of men and women, so you may give God praise”.  In the Holy Spirit we go as prophets to do the work of Jesus.



As prophets we also announce what will become history.  We are proclaiming the victory of the Cross. We don’t condemn or say ‘we told you so’ as it sounds a bit like the prophets of the Old Testament in Israel are doing.  We know our history is the victory of the Cross.  We want to proclaim God’s wisdom despite its appearance in the eyes of the world as foolishness.  We are prophets of hope instead of doom, prophets of mercy instead of vengeance, prophets who try to live in this moment of our fragile world the victory that will be seen as history for all of us in God’s own time.