WHO REALLY IS JESUS OF NAZARETH ?

 

There is a question at the heart of history, a question that no one can avoid: "Who really is Jesus of Nazareth?" It is vital to know this, not so much for history, but for each of us. It is Jesus himself who asks every human being: "Who am I for you?"

It is he himself who asks this strange question directly to his friends and, indirectly, to us: "Who am I?" We cannot avoid answering, if we are endowed with a normal mind, because many surprising or inexplicable facts prevent us from doing so:

✦ Eight billion people, that is, practically the entire planet, use his year of birth as a reference for their calendars, even if they have never heard of him. All contracts concluded, all legal acts and all publications in the world use this reference. This is evidently an extraordinary fact, considering the numerous attempts, all of which failed, to delete this time reference. The French revolutionaries tried to create a new calendar that had 1793 as year one, but the attempt, limited to France alone, lasted only twelve years. Jews, Muslims and Chinese also have their own calendar, but its use, limited to the spheres of influence of individual countries, still goes hand in hand with that of the Christian calendar. The date of Jesus' birth thus ends up representing an absolute and universal meridian, an "equator of time" that divides the history of humanity in two, with a "before" and an "after Christ".

✦ More than 20 thousand books have been written about him in the last century alone, and hundreds of new ones are published every year! For its part, the Bible is the most widely circulated and most translated book in the world in all languages. To date, 2.5 billion people, or a third of humanity, say they believe in the divinity of Jesus.

✦ Logically, Jesus should have remained an illustrious unknown! His is a hidden life: The son of a single mother, he was born in an obscure village; he fled to Egypt with his parents; returned and  grew up in stature, knowledge and skills in another village – Nazareth; there he worked as a carpenter until he was thirty. He lived a simple life. Then, for three years, he toured his land preaching. He never wrote a book. He never held public office. He never had a family or a home. He did not attend university. He did not stray more than three hundred kilometers from where he was born. He didn't do any of those things that are usually associated with success. He had no credentials other than himself. This Son Servant chosen by God was anointed by the Spirit and baptized at the Jordan; fasted for forty days and was tempted towards worldly powers but did not succumb to it. He continued his mission to help and heal, and proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He called illiterate fishermen as his disciples, ministered in Galilee.  As a prophetic light to all the nations, with the help of his apostles he accomplished his mission without fanfare. He was only thirty-three years old when public opinion turned against him. His own people plotted against the ‘Suffering Servant’, who similarly plotted against the poor and conspired against the innocent. Matthew writes, “The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.”  Jesus withdrew from confronting his enemies. But one day he rode to Jerusalem on a donkey; was arrested in the garden. His friends fled. He was sold out to his enemies and underwent a trial that was a farce. He was nailed to a cross, between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners played dice on his clothes, which were the only property he had on earth. He was totally rejected by his own people, but he was patient, meek and humble. He did not engage in frenetic activism and aggressive confrontation (cf. Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 167); he did not wield power, prestige and pride. He was crucified outside the city at Golgotha with criminals. When he died he was placed in a tomb made available by a friend moved by pity. Two days later, that tomb was empty.

Twenty centuries have passed and today he is the central figure in the history of humanity.   The majority in the world accepted his Gospel. Not even the armies that marched, the fleets that sailed, the parliaments that met, the kings that reigned, the thinkers and scientists put together, changed the life of man on earth as much as this one hidden life. Each of us is capable of seeing it for ourselves: the destiny of Jesus of Nazareth is something beyond any effort of imagination.

The Unsustainable Responses

Indeed, this question "But you, who do you say that I am?" (Mt 16:15), which at first glance seems simple and harmless, in reality poses a problem of implacable logic, because the possible answers are very few and we possess enough information to exclude almost all of them. These are the answers that have been given in the course of history and which are, moreover, logically, the only possible answers to the question: "Who can Jesus be?" (they tried them all!):

Jesus never existed; he is a myth created later. The historical reality of Jesus is well documented and quietly ascertained by historical and archaeological evidence.

He was just a great sage, a character who was all in all quiet and profoundly human, he is the easy choice of mediocre and superficial people. Writer C.S. Lewis states very clearly: "You have to make a choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or he was a madman, or even worse. We can then throw ourselves at his feet and call him Lord and God, or silence him because we think he is a fool or kill him; but please, let's not bring up nonsense complacent that he is only a great moral teacher. This option was not granted to us."

He was a visionary fanatic. In reality, no one, not even his enemies and the great accusers at his trial, describe him in this way.

He was an impostor who failed. An accusation more senseless than useless. But it is ancient. Let's summarize his main points: taking advantage of the feverish wait for the Messiah, a cunning schemer, after learning the art of magic in Egypt, declares that he is the long-awaited Messiah. This character seduces the crowds with miracles and tries to drag them into a revolt in order to seize power, but the initiative is dangerous enough to frighten the authorities. The impostor is then arrested, convicted, executed, and buried. His disciples, who had dispersed at the time of his death, gather in secret and within a few hours decide to improvise a daring sequel to this adventure. They steal the body of Jesus, bury it in a secret place and, showing the empty tomb, stage a sensational hoax by proclaiming that he has risen from the dead.

Why, at that point, did the high priests not have Jesus' body searched? It would have been simple! Unmasking, evidence in hand, this absurd scam of the resurrection invented by the followers of Jesus, offered them an ideal opportunity to silence them once and for all! They had the possibility, simply by finding the body, to put an end to this far-fetched and dangerous staging. But no, officially no investigation is instituted!

Do we really want to believe that this handful of frightened disciples could have agreed in a few hours to set up the greatest deception in history? To pass off the one who in the end had revealed himself to be only an impostor, an ordinary mortal, for the God who came down to earth, stealing his body, recovering it and then proclaiming his Resurrection! What, then, would have been the purpose of this daring staging? Why leave to go to the ends of the world, each alone, presumably without a wife, without children, without money, to tell the story of a resurrected Messiah to pagans who did not even know the term, let alone the meaning of the concept of Messiah?

He was a prophet. Because of the violent criticism he had to suffer and his death on the cross, Jesus could therefore be fully included in this long list of prophets. His exhortations to conversion also have a prophetic tenor. Muslims, on the other hand, currently about 1.5 billion people, also think that Jesus was a prophet, as reported in the Qur'an.

However, this thesis inevitably clashes with insurmountable improbabilities.

First of all, a prophet who by nature knows the future would not have surrounded himself with a gang of swindlers and criminals, who would one day have unearthed him and buried him elsewhere and then passed him off as the God made man. Finally, a prophet, not being God, certainly cannot be resurrected. Consequently, everything we have said about the improbability of the operation staged by the disciples, with the disappearance of the body, the false resurrection and all that follows, also applies in this case.

He is the Messiah and an extraordinary man, but only a man. The thesis according to which "Jesus is the Messiah, but he is only a man", after his death becomes absolutely untenable, because by definition the Messiah is a king destined by God to reign over Israel. But, to the great disappointment of those who hoped that Christ would rebuild the temporal power of Israel, Jesus dies on the cross, abandoned by all. If he is considered a Messiah, he cannot therefore be a purely human Messiah.

The Only Possibility: Jesus Is God Made Man

Once the challenge is taken up, everything begins to become clearer, and doubts and contradictions disappear. To begin with, this thesis makes clear the meaning of words that had previously seemed puzzling or even upsetting.

If Jesus is the Son of God, in fact, then he has always been so and can well say:

 "Before Abraham was, I am" (Jn 8:58).

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Mt 24:35).

Jesus' divinity makes him omnipotent, even over death and sin, and justifies the words:

"Your sins are forgiven" (Mt 9:5).

"I am the resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25).

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Mt 28:18)

By means of the Eucharist he can finally give his body as food, in the form of consecrated bread:

"I am the bread that has come down from heaven" (Jn 6:41).

On the part of anyone else, these words would have been the sign of an immeasurable pride, of a scandalous presumption, of a dangerous delirium of omnipotence. But in the mouth of the Son of God, of the Messiah, they take on a completely new meaning, in a logic that goes beyond our usual categories.

The Radical Change in the Behavior of the Apostles becomes Understandable

At this point, the metamorphosis of the apostles is also perfectly explained: cowards who had been able to deny Jesus and shut themselves up in the Upper Room with a double mandate, suddenly reveal themselves, as if by miracle, full of audacity and strength, determined to preach the proclamation of the Good News to the crowds. As if by a miracle, indeed, since this transformation is the result of their encounter with the risen Jesus. They have seen him and touched him, and now nothing can stop them: they have understood that death is only a passage towards resurrection, and that persecutions are a necessary testimony of faith, as well as a participation in the sufferings of Christ. Their attitude is therefore perfectly logical.

The Success of the Apostles does not have an exclusively Human Origin

Far from being satisfied with words, the apostles live their faith totally, a faith that is dearer to them than life.

Blaise Pascal writes: "I believe in witnesses who are killed." It is the ultimate argument, the one that convinced the masses at the beginning of Christianity. Thus, the fate of the persecuted Christians under Nero did not interrupt the flow of conversions. On the contrary, the witness of the martyrs was stronger than the persecutions.

Thus, the latter hypothesis is definitely the only possible answer to the question "Who is Jesus of Nazareth?".

Now it's up to Us to Respond

A little story can help us understand what we need to do.

A powerful ruler traveled through the desert followed by a long caravan carrying his fabulous treasure of gold and precious stones.

 Halfway along the way, exhausted by the fiery glare of the sand, a camel in the caravan collapsed gasping and never got up.

The chest he was carrying rolled down the sides of the dune, broke apart and scattered all its contents, pearls and precious stones, in the sand.

The prince did not want to slow down, also because he had no other chests and the camels were already overloaded. With a gesture between displeasure and generous, he invited his pages and squires to keep the precious stones they managed to collect and take with them.

While the young men eagerly threw themselves on the rich booty, and searched the sand frantically, the prince continued his journey into the desert.

However, he noticed that someone continued to walk behind him. He turned and saw that it was one of his pages, following him panting and sweating.

"And you," asked the prince, "didn't you stop to pick up anything?"

The young man gave an answer full of dignity and pride: "I follow my king."

Many of Jesus' disciples backed down and no longer went with him. Then Jesus asked the Twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have words that give eternal life. And now we believe and know that you are the one God sent." (Jn 6:66-69)

 

(Translated and adapted by Soroj Mullick SDB. Cf. Carmen Laval, La Domanda, in Bolletino Salesiano,  June 2024, pp.10-13.)

HUMAN PASSION TO DENY OR TO DEVOTE! A REFLECTION

 

 

I am inspired to pen these words by Bishop Barron’s recent Sermon (Palm Sunday), on his YouTube channel. So, I thought of sharing some of his thoughts and my personal reflections with the readers on my blog.

 

Like Solomon, Jesus mounts a donkey and rides into the city of Jerusalem. The crowd cheer him, ‘Hosanna, Son of David, King of Israel,’ the heir to David’s kingdom. But, when Jesus enters Jerusalem unlike Solomon, Jesus will be crowned with thorns and reign from the Cross, while being abandoned by most of His closed associates. 

According to a 20th century theologian the Gospels are basically Passion narratives with long introductions, says Bishop Barron in a recent homily. Therefore, the Passion narrative is the whole of the Gospel. On a bit different note, away from Jesus’ passion, putting ourselves in the scene, Bishop Barron suggests that we could focus on a series of people around Him, see their different reactions to the Passion events. Can we identify with any of these persons as they react to Jesus’ awaited death? The passion opens up  with the scene where Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’ feet with the alabaster jar of perfumed oil, preparing for his predicted death and burial. She breaks open the jar of expensive perfume.  She pours it on Jesus' head. It scandalizes people around.  Judas explodes, “That's very expensive. Couldn't that nard be sold and the money given to the poor?” What a waste of an entire jar of perfume ! Yes, we could question it, “weigh it in the balance ethically”. Jesus, while dismissing his critique, praises her saying, “What she has done will be remembered for all time” and tell her to keep the rest of the oil for his burial. Mary is the first one to react to Jesus nearing his death. His death represents God's extravagant gift to us, that God went all the way down into our dysfunction. She responds with an extravagant gesture, she breaks open that jar of perfume, as though she's breaking open her whole heart.

According to Bishop Barron, the ‘odor of this woman’s perfume waft’, over the whole of the Passion narrative. This extra generous gesture suggests Jesus’ absolutely radical giving away of self – “nothing calculating, careful, or conservative”. Out of the heart’s abundance it flows,– “religion resists the strictures set for it by a fussily moralizing reason.” There are critiques who complain about the Church’s extravagance! Jesus gives himself away totally and lavishly, ‘pouring out’ his whole life for the world. Is our response to Christ a bit constrained, calculative and too careful? Are we ready to break open our hearts, pour ourselves out for the world?

In the course of the passion narratives, the disciples failed and abandoned Jesus. They fled from the soldiers when Jesus was apprehended. Will we too flee from Jesus? Or as Jesus’ disciples are we ready to take up our crosses, knowing that we too will be vindicated? How can I embrace suffering and sacrifice for Christ’s sake and for the needy ? How am I called to take up my cross today? Peter only follows at a distance. At the climactic moment of Jesus passion, while going through an inner struggle, he sweats blood at the Gethsemane. Peter, James and John – the intimate disciples – fall asleep. The disciples fell asleep several times; they could not keep awake. They dozed off into spiritual slumber. They did not accompany Jesus as he prayed. They did something disrespectful to their Guru. They showed their lack of spiritual attention, while a deep spiritual moment was taking place. They seemed to say: “we don't care” – quite indifferent to Jesus’ agony. It symbolizes contemporary secularism in the midst of God’s creative activity constantly happening around – God's love being poured out through the sacraments,  preaching of the Word of God and through social upliftment through acts of mercy.

We too who are intimate friends of Jesus,  often fall asleep into indifference. As Church members, what are we doing as the Lord is acting in the world? Snoozing away? Recall Prophet Eli  and Samuel ‘inside’ the temple, sleeping away! As Religious, we withdraw, we deliberately decide to fall asleep within the Church’s hierarchy, as the world’s evil and cruelty crucify Christ in the innocent people.

Again, we have a young man, running away ‘naked’ into the ‘night’ with the rest of the disciples from the Gethsemane, leaving his ‘tunic’ behind. This unexpected peculiar detail speaks of leaving our baptismal white garment that symbolizes our devotion to Christ. Like the Apostles we too have put on Christ. But at the moment of truth, when Christian faith demands our courageous witness, when things are “getting dangerous and dicey” because we are Christians, are we counting the cost? “Do we stand our ground or do we run off into the night leaving behind our baptismal identity?” Do we, like that young man, abandon our baptismal identity, run away from the struggle?

What's our attitude at those moments of truth?

The high priest, after hearing various witnesses, puts Jesus on trial at the Sanhedrin, and he asks, "Are you the son of God?” Jesus shockingly cites from  Daniel, chapter seven, saying that he sees the ancient days when one like the son of man coming on the clouds, someone who shares in the authority of God – a messianic prediction.  He affirms, "Yes, I am” – not mere a teacher, or a political leader, or just the Messiah in the conventional sense, but God from God, light from light, true God from true God. Jesus is not a distant historical figure, or a literary device, or an inspiring spiritual teacher that many modern men hold him to be, says Bishop Barron.  But he is God – the central claim of the Church. To fall short of this central faith identity, is effectively to be against Him. How often in our spiritual lives we make vow not to betray Jesus, yet like the apostles we too  deny Jesus’ true identity.

 Then we have the  “scapegoating mob” breaking out. The crowds who saw Jesus’ miracles and heard his words, abandoned Jesus. They asked for a murderous brigand to be released instead of Jesus. While  warming by the fire at the courtyard of the high priest's house, someone identifies Peter to be with Jesus. He retorts back thrice, “I don't even know Him." He denies knowing Jesus. He lies, “I do not know that man”. How often we as fellow sinners  who have pledged our complete loyalty to Him, deny as Peter the first pope did, when things get a little ‘dicey and difficult’!

Next, the Roman soldiers –if the Shroud of Turin is right – put a capped crown of thorns (not ringlet) placed upon the whole top of His head,  put the reed in His hand like a mock scepter. They put on him a purple cloth, laughing over his kingship. They beat Him and spit upon Him. Is not a lot of that going on today? There is so much of the mockery of Jesus and  of religion, through politics and religious fanaticism! And that is a kind of secularism – falling asleep, and indifferences. Have we mocked Jesus like these Roman soldiers with words, by saying/writing disrespectful things, or with our lives, or in associating with the crowd who jeered at Him?

Jesus cries out from the Cross “My God, my God, why have you abandoned (forsaken) me?” When Jesus breathed his last, women too were at a distance from the Cross. None of the remaining eleven apostles approached Pilate to ask for the body. Only Joseph of Arimathea had the courage to do so. Out of the various figures in the Passion narrative, who do we identify with?

Lastly, according to the scholars, the messianic secret is revealed at the foot of the cross after Jesus died.  Till then Jesus always told his closed followers or those whom he healed,  not to tell anyone about his Messianic identity. He quieted them down, muzzled them off. In fact, people were puzzled then, as we are now. Why would Jesus be so reticent? But as Jesus bowed in death, he no longer could silence anyone, reasons Bishop Barron. In fact, the Roman Centurion publicly reveals the Messianic secrecy, "Truly, this man was the son of God." Only the Gentile Centurian confessed publicly his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

In short, these are signs of the vindication of Jesus: “Abandoned by his disciples, betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, accused of blasphemy by the priests, rejected in favor of a murderer by the crowd, mocked by the Sanhedrin and by Roman troops and all who came to the cross, surrounded by darkness, and seemingly forsaken by his God, in this one dramatic moment Jesus is fully vindicated. God has answered Jesus’ cry by replacing the Temple as the locus of worship and by offering in its place His own Son who will be confessed by Gentile and Jew alike” (Raymond Brown, Christ in the Gospels…, 163). 

To conclude, Bishop Barron says, the Roman centurion who put Him to death, is the proto evangelist, confirming Jesus’ as the Son of God in place of the Roman Emperor, Caesar, who was the “Huios tou Theou”(son of the God) by tradition. Can we too say those same words? And say loud and clear, with that same confidence?

  

A PROPHET, REJECTED IN OWN COUNTRY

    

In Matthew’s account, the rejected Jesus at Nazareth, refers to himself as a prophet. More than a prophet Jesus is the Word Incarnate - the Truth in person. According to the OT, a prophet is a religious visionary and truth-teller, someone who feels with God and speaks out that felt experience. They speak truth to power. As he/she stubbornly sees the world through the lens of God’s word and speaks the truth, it implies opposition, confrontation, and critique. Prophets often spoke a ‘message from God’ while reading the signs of the times, spoke of God’s revealed truth into that particular situation, as a warning of what was to come if one did not follow the way. They simply and fearlessly pointed out the obvious (John the Baptist spoke bluntly against Herod the Tetrarch living with his brother’s wife). 

 Today’s prophets do not  condemn a person, instead, presents God’s word to evoke and provoke in order to enlighten others, and help to come face-to-face with the living God. We all need to heed to the “prophets'' of our days and participate in the prophetic ministry of Christ by incarnating God’s word within a particular situation; allow them to inform our way of thinking, acting, and speaking. Their ‘insights’ are the lens by which we read the signs of the times. John’s outspoken truth cost him his head. The nonsensical pride and vanity of the day can make people spineless. Persons become unable to resist the lure of the world. Sin strives.  Conscience and truth are compromised. Prophets, in such situation, become a light in the darkness. They give witness to us. We all are called to follow in the same prophetic path, remaining firm in the truth. Can we be counted among the prophets of our days? 

 The Present Day Prophets

It is time to listen to the prophets of today. Swami Agnivesh and Stan Swamy have been led to their death; so too many, innocent though, are languishing behind bars. Hans Kung died recently, unreconciled with the doctrinal Church. A Prophet raises up the conscience of the people with an existential and contextual significance. Persecuted as God’s servant ((Jn 15:20) Stan Swamy proved his prophetic identity, through a fuller participation in paschal mystery by self-emptying, for the sake of the marginalised and the exploited Adivasis in India (cf. Edwin Rodrigues, editorial, VJTR, 85(August 2021)8, p.4). Stan resisted inequality, and took prophetic stand for justice and human rights. A true prophet infuses valour and courage in persons, to be other prophets in the society. Like Stan, many a prophet, serve as a “grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies” (Jn 12:24) through their upright life and struggle. Prophets express dissent and raise questions, to right the wrong through a strength of character. While the common people acclaim them, they face criticism and condemnation from the authority, for whom they are a threat. Prophets commit themselves to the cause of the most vulnerable and speak out for them through critical thought and action. They are the ‘salt’ and ‘leaven’ on this earth, to energize and bring new life in the people.

 Many prophets are still existing today through their extraordinary life of dedication to truth and justice. Many are critical of the Church, and yet are loyal to her despite of difficulties. Some are treated harshly by the Church and the society. Yet, they continue asking questions that calls for reflective answers. Many dare making significant contribution to the society and to the Church. Some recognize their prophetic nature manifested through their work and teaching. They serve as the signposts for a journey of radical transformation and change. Many of them prophesy through their writings and critics. In this changing time, their actions and words sum up their prophesying. The prophets seize the moment as ‘hot’, and alert others to opportunity for change, towards new direction. But often enough, the prophet in them is ignored, their words rejected. But in course of time, they are recognized, and the truth they hold to is acknowledged. Jesus had experienced so:  "A prophet is not honoured in his own home town"(Jn 4: 44). "No prophet is ever accepted in his own country" (Lk 4:24).

If we but listen, the words of prophesy continue to echo down the years, convincing people to follow the path that one should tread. Its vision continues creeping in. Their words continue to teach and take form, as people begin to imprint them in their minds and hearts. It disturbs, though, the peace of mind. That is what the prophets do. They dare disturb human silence, ask questions and suggest ways to follow. Like John the Baptist, the voice of the prophet leads to discomfort. Today, they raise issues that many avoid listening. Prophets today raise the problem of climate change and on caring for creation, for the sake of all, for now and for the future. They challenge our style of living, our values and judgments. They persist on saying, “listen before it is too late”. The Old Testament Prophets told a story for their people, in order to reflect, in practical terms, on the perceived will of God for their lives. The voice of John the Baptist, crying in the wilderness, drew attention of the people to Jesus. Prophets earn the title of prophet by their courage, examples and their fearless voice.

 Men and women of such fortitude and courage, point the direction that we must all follow. Some are titled ‘saints, others are passed by, unacknowledged.  Yet, their rippled impact is felt on our lives. If one discerns and observes, their prophecy becomes real. Prophets are persons, set aside, chosen from the people, to tell a story with a radical vision. In Deuteronomy we read, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him" (Deut 8.15). All faith traditions have their prophets, who tell a story to inspire and act. The Global Ethic Foundation (1996) of Hans Küng promotes dialogue between the faiths for peace and unity. Prophets give guidance, to which we need to listen and adhere to. But how? Prophetic words are written out there, if we are only ready to read them in our times. (cf. Chris McDonnell, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/prophecy-in-our-time/14349, 5.9.2021)

The Secular Lay Prophets

There are more lay prophets than the ‘clerical’ ones. The pandemic has precipitated a situation that ushered in many such lay prophets – doctors, nurses, social workers, health centres, etc., often without reputation.  They are known for taking decisive action to deal with the immediate solution to problems presently felt through a "leap of faith". These lay prophets rise above the reality of religious practices and rituals, in order to serve the society with responsibilities. During the past pandemic seasons since its start, many of them have not taken any vacation. Many stayed away from families for months just to serve the sick. Today’s lay prophets have started serving the Church and its clergy as official representatives in socio-secular fields and in the governance of the Church.  They serve as close collaborators with the Church authority, in a move that is “audacious, even prophetic”, entailing risks though. For them it is further more prophetic in being careful not to become an authoritarian "clericalized layperson". Instead, they try to promote complementarity between the different states of life while keeping in tune with the society and the representative of the "people of God". In fact, thy are ‘models’ to follow, in order to build a new reality. It is a lay culture of participation, which demands for progressive ecclesial changes by being discreetly outspoken. All the baptized are called to participate more fully (prophetically) in the life of the Church, motivated by more pragmatic considerations. It is more than doing a job as priests or laity. Now is the time and a chance to better appropriate a prophetic process in the life of the Church. (Cf. Mélinée Le Priol, Leap of faith leadership, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/diocese-in-switzerland-becomes-a-laboratory-for-lay-leadership/14724, 30.7.2021).

Prophets dream dreams.  They are essential for the world's evolution (Cf. Brendan MacCarthaigh, https://international.la-croix.com/news/ religion /dream-and-take-a-first-step/14832, 5.9.2021). They think and talk more seriously about dreams beyond mere expectations. These lay prophets anticipate the Kingdom of God while suffering ridicule and head-on opposition. Following certain ideals in life, they buy into a new interpretation of life, and dare promote it, in the midst of opposition. Such prophetic dreams are dangerous.  These dreamer-prophets come to us as unpleasant, yet history will speak of them in future.