JULY132024

The call of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) can almost serve as a model for the call to prophesy on the part of all the baptized. Isaiah, and every prophet, is situated in a specific time and a specific place: “the year king Uzziah died.” An encounter with God inaugurates the prophetic call — “I saw the Lord” — which produced an awareness of one’s unworthiness: “I am a man of unclean lips.” The Lord provides the remedy, which re-creates one as worthy:  “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed.” God then issues the challenge to bring into the world the divine presence of peace and justice.  “Who will go for us?” The prophet has the courage to say, “Here I am. Send me.” In this time, our encounter with God should similarly remind us that God can transform the likes of us so that we too can become the presence of God in the world. Oh, by the way, the passage ends with God telling the prophet, don’t expect them to listen to you or like what you have to say…