The 12 minor prophets have something important to say

Not much to say but what is said is very important

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are the famous 12 minor prophets. They are referred to as minor because they are less extensive than the major prophets, not less important.

Obadiah, the shortest book of the Bible, is only 21 verses and less than 600 words!

These books, the minor prophets, are rich in messianic prophecy, expressions of God’s love for all people and his calling them to lives of love and fidelity. They also try to promote repentance among God’s people, and others, for the offenses against the Lord and the covenant in addition to the disclosure of the consequences of non-repentance.

The Old Testament has many prophets, major and minor. These minor prophets are great examples to all of us that you don’t need to say much but you need to say something. We must carry out the prophetic mission of communicating God’s Word in new and innovative ways, even if we don’t say much like Obadiah.

Christ is the greatest prophet and each one of us, by our baptism, also share in Christ’s prophetic mission. Here are some quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on how we, the non-ordained baptized, the laity, live out our prophetic mission.

785 The holy people of God shares also in Christ's prophetic office, above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole people, lay and clergy, when it "unfailingly adheres to this faith … once for all delivered to the saints, and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ's witness in the midst of this world.

904 Christ … fulfills this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy … but also by the laity. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with the sense of the faith and the grace of the word." To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer.

905 Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization, that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life. For lay people, this evangelization … acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world. This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers … or to the faithful.

906 Lay people who are capable and trained also may collaborate in catechetical formation, in teaching the sacred sciences, and in use of the communications media.

907 In accord with the knowledge, competence and preeminence that they possess, (lay people) have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters that pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons.

The world needs prophets. Together we must continue the ongoing task of evangelization as prophets of the 21 ^st century. Let’s live out our baptismal mission and tell the world that Jesus loves them. Let’s share the Good News because we also have something important to say!