Prophecy is not so much a prediction of
the future. Prophecy is more a conscientisation of the hearts and minds of
people, with respect to what is happening in their lives here and now, and the
repercussions on the future. So, all of us in some sense, therefore, we are
called to be prophets. But this is where the danger lies, because we have many
self professed prophets in the world today. We need to be discerning. We need
to be very careful. Because some of us, not because we intentionally want to be
false prophets, but because we have read the messages from God wrongly. We are
mistaken. Very often, many of these prophecies, they come or originate from
fears, from anxieties, from their own narrow perception of life and of the
situation. And so, we begin to project our own fears into the situation, and
then we claim it is the Lord who is speaking to us. And very often, it is
because of our very limited view of the entire situation. Sometimes we are
reading from some information, some people are telling us, many of these are
conditioned, and of course, seeing from one perspective. Therefore, we need to
be extremely cautious, before claiming that we are having a prophecy from the
Lord. In fact, true prophets are very often reluctant prophets. Indeed, it is
very important, therefore, for those of us who are prophesising, the most
important question we need to ask is, what is our motivation? What is it that
drives us to make a prophecy? So, the first thing we have to realise is that a
prophet is called. We don't call ourselves to be prophets. We must be
called. That is a very important point. When a prophet has something to gain, we
can be sure that is a false prophet. A true prophet has everything to lose,
nothing to gain. So, how do you know you are a true prophet? There is only one
fundamental criterion. Are you motivated purely by love? No other concerns. By
love for God, love for the people, and not for oneself. Because there are some
of us who are judgemental. Some of us have big egos. Some of us want to think
that we know the best, we know everything, we are always right, we always
have the solution. So, it's very important that a true prophet must be
motivated by love. And this love is manifested in patience and kindness. A
true prophet is always patient with people who do not listen to him. But
that is the whole problem. Many of these false prophets, if you don't listen to
them, they say, "Therefore you are possessed by the devil, because you are
in opposition to the Word of God." That is not true. Sometimes these false
prophets, when they are being persecuted, when they are being opposed, they think
that's a confirmation that they are true prophets. A true prophet, when he
speaks, he speaks with love. It's not only what we say, but the tone of how we say it.
Sometimes when we want to correct people, yes, what we are saying is the
right thing. But because we say it in a very harsh, humiliating, destructive
manner, the Word of God does not get through. Truth must always be spoken
with love, with gentleness. The second mark of charity is compassion. Whenever we speak the truth, not
everybody can understand, not everybody can accept it there and then. Sometimes they need
time to think it over. But the moment when we try to coerce, try to force our views
on them, they tend to be defensive, they tend to react. And also, we must be
compassionate, because we are human beings. Truth is not just a matter of
the intellect. It is also a matter of the heart. That is why if you are really a
prophet, you are always compassionate. A true prophet, therefore, is patient
and is enduring love. Compassion. Feels with those people who are opposed to him. He
doesn't fight, he doesn't start violence, he doesn't call for a rally. He is a man
of non violence. He is one who unites, not one who divides. Because at the end of
the day, it is to win people over. But then, as I've said, because he is very
understanding, he knows that some people will take some time. Then we wait. But
most of all, a true prophet is humble. Sometimes, a prophet has the truth. But
the truth is either presented in a partial manner, or the medium of
presenting the truth is faulty. The Word of God is always true, provided the
prophecy comes from the Word of God. And if it is true, sometimes again, people
cannot understand, because it is imperfect. And this is very true,
especially for those of us who are true prophets. They want to say something
that is true, that is good for everyone. But you are seeing life from a very
narrow perspective, from your own vantage point. A prophet cannot be very narrow
minded, a tunnel vision. We have to consider many things, and to discern
where is God speaking, what does God want. Not just our own narrow interests,
but the common good of everyone. Indeed, my dear brothers and sisters, if we want
to be good and true prophets, at the end of the day, we need to listen to the
Word of God attentively. We do not force, we do not coerce. At the end of the day,
let us remember this. Conversion is not our work. It is the work of the Holy
Spirit. Once we have done our tasks, we have spoken, let God bring about
its effects.
