Deacon Tom Writes,
“Spread the Word”
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
In today’s first reading, Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, is attempting to run Amos out of town because he doesn’t like what Amos is prophesying about the King and the royal temple. Amos tries to defend himself claiming that he is no prophet… “but just a shepherd and dresser of sycamores” whom the Lord instructed, “to go prophesy to my people Israel”.We often think that God finds great people to do His work...like Mother Teresa or Desmond Tutu or Dr. King. That’s not generally the case. More often God chooses ordinary people and then brings about great results through them. No one knew who Mother Teresa was when she first ventured off to Calcutta to take care of the undesirables there that she saw as God’s little ones. And few dared to claim that they were friends of Nelson Mandela or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when they were wasting away in their prison cells for inciting people’s consciences. Their unrelenting witness of the gospel values that formed the fabric of their lives led them to dedicate their lives to the cause of justice and social equality for all peoples. They committed their lives to upholding the life and dignity of each person, especially those who were suffering from the social sins of their day: poverty, discrimination, and injustice to name but a few. Their efforts made their names household words and legends in the pursuit of justice.
Today’s gospel has Jesus sending his handpicked Apostles out into the world to spread the “Good News” to all who would listen. Jesus entrusts his message to ordinary people… and they delivered‼ And so did the many faithful souls who followed in their footsteps, some famous like the great saints and so many others who are “known but to God.” These are the giants upon whose shoulders our faith has been built and handed down through the ages. Like the original Twelve, they were successful in carrying out the instructions they received. Now, in our time, we gather together to hear the Word of God and share in the Sacred Banquet that unites us all into the Mystical Body of Christ, so that we too might have the courage to stand up and make our voices heard as people working to make this world more peaceful and just and who see the image of Christ in all our brothers and sisters.
Today let us recall the precious gift of faith that we have received and the sacrifices of all those who have passed it on to us. Let us be mindful too of our responsibility to share the faith that we have received, a faith that is grounded in Word and in Sacrament and that calls us to… “do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic 6:8). For, just as the Prophet Amos was sent to the people of his time, so too we are sent today to share with others the good news of God's love, mercy, and compassion.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Image credit sunserveyouth.wordpress.com
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