Good morning, this is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to reflect with Father Robert Baron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Baron will challenge us to open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's Word of Love for each of us.

If our hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us, who we might speak with love about the one who is love.

The Archdiocese of Chicago through the generosity of Sacred Heart Parish in Winetka now presents the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you. Friends, I want to talk to you today about baptism.

It's wonderful that in English, another term for baptism is Christening, literally Christening, turning someone into Christ.

Last week I talked about the Church as the Body of Christ, members of His Body.

So baptism is not just the joining of a club.

Baptism is not just joining a new organization, but rather it's being Christened, being drawn into the very being in life of Christ.

Now, how has His life and ministry been described?

Three terms have classically been used. Christ is priest, prophet, and king.

Why is He priest? Well, priest is a sanctifier. Much of Jesus' life and work is to sanctify us, to make us holy.

Christ is also a king. That means He leads us somewhere. He leads us to the Father. He guides us.

And Christ is a prophet. That means He's a speaker of God's truth.

Now, Christians, fellow baptized, fellow christened people, we have been drawn into the same life and the same ministry.

We share in the threefold office of Christ, priest, prophet, and king.

I want to talk today specifically about the prophetic office that we have as baptized people, speakers of the truth.

Let's look first at a text from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, the account of Jeremiah's call, his vocation.

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.

There is good news for us prophets. None of us is here by accident.

All of us are here because God has a plan and we have a role to play in that divine plan.

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