The word “prophet” was mentioned three times in today’s scripture readings: once in the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah and twice in the Gospel account according to Saint Luke. Jeremiah was a prophet: “The word of the Lord came to me saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” Jesus too was a prophet: speaking to the people of his hometown Nazareth. He said: “…‘Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.’”

So, who is a prophet and what is a prophet’s role? A prophet is a person sent by God to give a message, not the prophet’s own message, but only God’s message. As we just heard, Jeremiah was appointed a prophet even before his birth; Jesus too was a prophet sent by God His Father to proclaim the message of Good News, the Gospel: that God loves us and desires to save us through His Son’s Death and Resurrection.

Both the first and third readings not only remind us about who a prophet is and what is the prophet’s role; both also point out clearly that the reactions of God’s people to the message being proclaimed will be vastly different: some respond with willing acceptance while others respond with hostile rejection. Jeremiah was told: “Be not crushed on their account,…They will fight against you, but not prevail over you….” In today’s gospel account, we just heard how the message of Jesus was received: “When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.”

The Lord Jesus Christ does exercise a three-fold office as priest, prophet and king. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them” (n. 783).

Therefore, each one of us, because we are baptized into Christ Jesus, share Christ’s three-fold office of priest, prophet and king, exercising these in accord with our individual calling or vocation. Remember what was said to us as we were anointed with sacred Chrism after having been baptized: “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life” (Ritual for Baptism, n. 98).

To repeat, each one of us, in virtue of our being baptized into Christ Jesus, shares in Christ’s office of prophet; each one of us is missioned and sent to bring God’s message, not ours, to everyone we encounter, in the family and the neighborhood, in the workplace and the community, in this local parish and in the wider society. We read in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, “God’s people also share in Christ’s role as prophet. This means both teaching and witnessing to God’s Word in the world. A real prophet, by teaching and good example, leads others to faith. Saint Francis of Assisi once said, ‘Preach always. Sometimes use words’” (p. 117).

How do we become equipped for our role as prophets, teaching and witnessing to God’s Word in the world? By being formed in the faith through Catholic education, which includes authentic catechesis.

Now, we are formed in a variety of ways, beginning with the formation which our parents give us, since they are the first and principal teachers of the faith. The most apt instrument for Catholic formation and education and the best collaborator with parents is the Catholic School. Pope Benedict XVI emphasized this when he met with Catholic educators at the Catholic University of America on April 17, 2008. “Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth. This relationship elicits a desire to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ and his teaching. In this way those who meet him are drawn by the very power of the Gospel to lead a new life characterized by all that is beautiful, good and true; a life of Christian witness nurtured and strengthened within the community of our Lord’s disciples, the Church.” Yes, through Catholic educational institutions, and the Catholic school is the one most familiar and present to us, young people and their families are equipped to share in Christ’s role as prophets.

Today, we begin Catholic Schools Week and I am privileged to be the principal celebrant of this Mass at which our Cathedral School’s principal, teachers, staff, students, parents, and alumni join together with all our parishioners in giving thanks to God for the presence of Saint Thomas More Cathedral School these past sixty-five years and in seeking God’s help to continue the School’s mission: forming young people in the image of Jesus Christ for their share in witnessing to Christ and His Gospel in the world — being His prophets.

The theme for this year’s observance of Catholic Schools Week is: “Dividends for Life.” These dividends: faith, knowledge, morals and discipline last a lifetime and really equip the students for their role as Christ’s prophets in the real world.

Parents, you can give your children no better gift than to provide them with these dividends through a Catholic education. I thank you for your sacrifice and your love. Mrs. McCormack, principal of our Cathedral School, teachers and staff, thank you for being partners with Christ in forming our students. Father Rippy and Father Workman, thank you too for your presence, teaching and witness to our students. Parishioners all, thank you for your generous and even sacrificial support of our Cathedral School, it is an integral part of the parish and a real instrument of evangelization and catechesis — of Catholic education at its best.

All of us are called to be prophets as we share in Christ’s role as prophet: teaching and witnessing to God’s Word in the world. With the Cathedral School community, we too say: “Here am I, Lord. Send me to be Your witness, Your prophet, for the salvation of all whom I meet each day.”