CHRISTIANS in the Pacific Islands region, including the eight Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) 2025, have been urged to be the prophetic voice in their respective settings and the wider region on crucial issues.
That was the underlying message of the sermon delivered at the Holy Eucharist Service at Anglican Church of Melanesia’s (ACOM’s) Saint Barnabas Cathedral where the eight contestants and their entourages, the reigning Miss Pacific Islands, Miss Moemoana Schwenke of Samoa and officials from the Samoa-based MPIP Secretariat and the MPIP 2025 Solomon Islands Hosting Committee attended Church service on Sunday.
The Saint Barnabas Cathedral Dean, Reverend Father Wilfred Kekea, delivered a sermon from the Gospel of Luke 2: 22-40 about the presentation of Jesus at 40 days old in the Temple in Jerusalem where Simeon the Prophet and Anna the Prophetess have been anxiously waiting to see the fulfilment of God’s Salvation for the Jews, and the entire humanity.
“Our reflection for this morning is a call to be a prophetic voice in our region or in our own settings. So, we will focus on being a prophetic voice for our region or the Pacifica, or in our own settings. What is lacking amongst Christians today is being prophetic.
Rev Kekea said the prophetic words that were spoken by Simeon to Mary revealed that her Child Jesus was chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel and to be a sign that many will speak against, revealing their secret thoughts and that sorrow like a sharp sword will break her heart.
He said Prophetess Anna in turn gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child whom all who are waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
“This is the prophetic voice – the voice of Simeon and the voice of Anna. They prophesied the Salvation of God for the people of Israel and not only for the people of Israel, but for the entire humanity, through Jesus.”
“To be prophetic, Christians have to look back on their experiences as Simeon and Anna did in by looking at what was happening in their society during their time and before their time and foretelling the future with the presence of Jesus
“So, to be prophetic is to be inspired by God. They (Simeon and Anna) spent their time fasting and praying and then they looked at their past experiences, see what was happening at their time and could tell the future.
“So that is what being prophetic is all about. Being prophetic is not the same as predicting what the future would be like. One can predict the future out of their own experience, and out of their own feelings, but prediction is not the same as prophesying.
Rev Kekea said at the moment, Pacific Islands nations are facing the challenge of sea-level rise, a fact which bigger countries may deny and this calls for Christians in the region to be prophetic.
“In our island region we see the sea slowly eating the land that we have been living on, especially in Kiribati – the people of Kiribati are faced with this sea-erosion – the sea eating away the land.
“In Solomon Islands we also face the same problem and we will say this is not of our making- we the people of the islands. We see the problem, what is happening now. We have seen what our land used to be and now we are seeing the problem today. How can we as Christians be prophetic?
Rev Kekea said as the prophetic voice offering the message of salvation to God’s people, Simeon and Anna offered Jesus as the Savior of all humankind by reuniting humanity with God.
“We are also faced with our own problems in our region. How can we be the prophetic voce to the moana, to the solwara. How can we be that voice that will be heard in Europe, in the United States of America?
“Will it be Miss Samoa, shouting in her own corner? Will it be Miss Kiribati shouting in her own corner? Miss Nauru, Miss Solomon Islands, Miss Papua New Guinea, Miss Samoa, Miss Cook Islands, Miss American Samoa, Miss Kiribati?
“How can we stand united to be the prophetic voice – to be the voice that will save the people of our nations?”
Rev Kekea said he knows the President of Kiribati has sought to look for land outside of Kiribati for the relocation of his people due to his sinking country and that is being prophetic.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
Photo caption: The eight Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025 contestants with the reigning Miss Pacific Islands, Moemoana Schwenke (centre)and members of the ACOM Saint Barnabas Cathedral congregation on Sunday.
