We have just celebrated Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, the moment everything changed. Picture the scene: The apostles are huddled in the Upper Room, scared, hiding, confused. Their leader is dead. Their dreams are shattered. They don’t know what comes next. Then suddenly – fire falls. The Spirit comes. Tongues of flame rest on each head. And these terrified, uncertain men and women become prophets, speaking God’s truth with power and clarity that astonishes everyone.
We read this story and think: “Prophets are special people. Extraordinary people. Definitely not me.”
But what the Church teaches, what Scripture proclaims, what your baptism sealed into your very being is that you ARE a prophet whether you know it or not. Every baptised Christian shares in Christ’s prophetic office.
So, the question isn’t “Am I a prophet?” but “What kind of prophet will I be?”
The Prophetic Call
All baptised Christians share in Christ’s three-fold office as priest, prophet, and king. This is the sacramental grace granted; this is the anointing bestowed. At your baptism, you were anointed prophet. At confirmation, the Holy Spirit sealed this calling with fire.
You are a prophet. Not someday, not if you become holy enough, not if you get special training. Now. Already. Whether you are using this gift or not.
Now, who is a prophet? A prophet is someone who speaks God’s truth into the present moment. The Hebrew word nabi means “mouthpiece of God.” A prophet sees the world through God’s eyes and speaks from God’s heart. A prophet names what is, declares what should be, and calls people back to truth when they’ve wandered into lies.
Prophets comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. They defend the widow, the orphan, the marginalised. They call out injustice even when it is unpopular, even when it is costly.
Carmel – A Garden of Prophets
The Carmelite tradition is soaked in prophetic witness. Elijah, our inspirer, confronted King Ahab’s corruption, defended a widow facing starvation, called down fire from heaven to proclaim the Lord as the true God. He stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal and won.
Teresa of Ávila reformed the Carmelite Order against massive opposition — from within her own community, from church authorities, from cultural norms. People told her to be quiet, to stay in her place, to stop causing trouble. She founded seventeen convents anyway.
John of the Cross was imprisoned by his own religious brothers for supporting Teresa’s reform, was beaten and left in darkness. He didn’t recant. Instead, he wrote mystical poetry in his cell that would transform Christian spirituality for centuries.
Thérèse of Lisieux’s “Little Way” was profoundly counter-cultural. In an age that valued grand spiritual heroics and dramatic penances, she insisted that small acts done with great love mattered infinitely. She challenged the entire spiritual culture of her time.
Edith Stein, a Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism, became a Carmelite nun, and spoke publicly against Nazism. She died in Auschwitz, martyred for both her Jewish heritage and her Christian faith.
Notice what these prophets share:
- All challenged the status quo
- All risked their safety and reputation for truth
- All combined deep contemplation with courageous action
- All listened to God more than to public opinion
Carmelite prophets don’t shout from pulpits. They whisper from prayer cells. And the world shakes.
The “Fire”
The symbol of fire runs through our prophetic tradition. Elijah called down fire from heaven. Pentecost brought tongues of fire onto the apostles’ heads. John of the Cross wrote his masterpiece Living Flame of Love, describing the Spirit as purifying fire that consumes everything false until only love remains.
Fire means two things: purification and passion. The prophetic calling is being set on fire with God’s love, being burned clean of fear, and being ignited with holy courage to speak and act for justice.
Your Prophetic Voice
Most prophets aren’t household names. Most won’t write books or lead movements. But their voices matter infinitely.
Moses stuttered. Jeremiah complained he was too young. Mary was a teenage girl in an obscure village. None of them seemed qualified. They said ‘yes’ anyway.
Your prophetic voice matters not because of your credentials but because God has given you a specific perspective, specific relationships, specific influence that no one else has. You see things others don’t see. You are positioned to speak where others can’t reach.
Workplace Ethics: Your coworker suggests cutting corners on a project to save time. Everyone is nodding along. You say quietly: “I think we should do this right, even if it takes longer.” That’s prophetic.
Family Reconciliation: A family member has held a grudge for years. The silent treatment has become normal. You say: “What if we tried to forgive? What if we reached out?” That’s prophetic.
Social Justice: A friend makes a racist joke. Everyone laughs uncomfortably. You say: “That’s not okay. That hurts people.” That’s prophetic.
Personal Integrity: Everyone around you lies — on taxes, on resumes, in relationships. You tell the truth even when it costs you opportunities. That’s prophetic.
Don’t confuse prophetic voice with volume. Teresa wrote letters quietly advocating for reform while managing convents. Prophetic. John wrote poetry in a prison cell no one knew about for months. Prophetic. Thérèse lived a hidden life in a cloistered convent, and her “little way” eventually influenced millions. Profoundly prophetic.
The prophet’s voice isn’t measured in decibels. It’s measured in truth.
Your prophetic voice might be:
- A conversation over coffee where you gently challenge a friend’s harmful thinking
- A letter to your representative about legislation affecting the poor
- The choice to live simply in a consumer culture
- Staying married when everyone says leave
- Adopting a child no one else wanted
- Speaking up in a meeting when everyone else stays silent
- Writing truthfully about your own struggles so others feel less alone
It’s not the size of the platform. It’s the faithfulness to speak what God gives you to say.
Ask yourself…
If you’re trying to identify your prophetic voice:
- Where do I see injustice that breaks my heart? That repeated grief might be God opening your eyes to where you are called to speak or act.
- What truth am I afraid to speak? Often the thing we are most afraid to say is exactly what we are meant to say.
- Where does the Spirit persistently nudge me? That thing you keep thinking about, keep noticing, keep coming back to… that’s worth paying attention to.
- What would I do if I weren’t afraid? Sometimes fear is the only obstacle between you and your prophetic calling.
And, don’t forget to pray.
“Come Holy Spirit, set me on fire.” Fire to speak up when silence is easier. Fire to act justly when everyone else looks away. Fire to love boldly when hate feels safer.
Ask the Spirit for:
- Eyes to see what God sees
- Ears to hear what God hears
- Voice to speak what God speaks
- Courage to act when God calls
Finding Your Prophetic Voice – A Seven-Day Exercise
This week, do a journaling exercise to clarify your calling:
Days 1-2: Where do I see injustice? List five things that consistently break your heart. Don’t filter or judge; just notice what grieves you.
Days 3-4: What truth am I afraid to speak? Name your fears honestly. What would happen if you spoke up? Who might you lose? What might it cost?
Days 5-6: Where is the Spirit nudging me? Pay attention to the persistent whisper. What keeps coming back? What won’t leave you alone?
Day 7: Write one sentence: “My prophetic calling is to…” Don’t overthink this. Your first instinct is usually right. Complete the sentence and sit with it.
Then share what you’ve discovered with your spiritual director or a trusted friend. Prophetic calling needs community, both for discernment and for support.
Becoming Prophets Course
As part of its School of Prophets, CACS offers an online course titled Becoming Prophets for people discerning how to use their voice, how to combine contemplation with courageous action, how to speak truth in a culture that prefers comfortable lies. You can explore it here.