15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Amos 7:12-15
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:7-13
July 12, 2015
They say if you want to avoid controversy don’t talk about religion or politics. We need to talk about our faith but never to ruffle feathers but to speak the truth.
Amos has been speaking about the faith as a prophet. Amos is from the southern king of Judah but he is preaching in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Both kingdoms are supposed to be of the same faith so one might suppose that Amos should be welcomed in the northern kingdom but he is not.
Amaziah, the priest in charge in the north, tells Amos to go back home to make his living. Amaziah tries to send him away because he is saying bad things about the king and people who fail to practice the faith. Amaziah assumes that Amos is like many of the prophets who seek to make a living as a prophet. They might say whatever they think will get them paid the most.
Amos is not a prophet by trade. He tells Amaziah that he used to be a shepherd and would be happy to return to that trade. He is a prophet because the Lord has called him to this. Called by the Lord, he speaks the truth.
Do we?
Jesus sends out the Twelve to share in His ministry. His ministry is to heal and to preach. Jesus does so by travelling from town to town. While the Apostles follow him on His journeys, He does not go with a set itinerary. He doesn’t look for luxurious accommodations. He doesn’t hold onto money or food. He trusts the Father will take care of Him and He teaches the disciples to do the same. They are to take nothing on the journey.
Actually I think there is something they do take. It’s not food or clothing. What they take on the journey is faith, trust, and grace.
The Apostles were called to a very particular role. It was not a job any of them applied for. They were all chosen by God. Were they perfect? Nope!
God still chose them to be the Apostles just as God chooses us today. None of us is perfect, myself included. God knows our strengths and weaknesses better than we do.
Yet God still calls us to serve Him. We might feel inadequate. We might not really know what we should do. We need to admit our failings.
There are times when I struggle to do what I preach. When some people see that, their reaction can be ‘well Father says we need to be warm and welcoming but I see him having a bad day and not always be warm and welcoming. Why should I listen to him?
I do fall short. How do you think I know what people struggle with? It’s because I struggle with some of the same things!
God calls each and every one of us to be a prophet but not all as people with years of theological training. Being a prophet means sharing what our faith means to us. It means acknowledging our own weaknesses to show others how we count on God.
Amos was called to be a prophet. The Twelve were called to be apostles. We are all called to share the faith. One of the best ways to do this is to tell others why we know we need God in our own lives.