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Long before chocolate chip cookies, there was a famous Amos found in the bible. This Amos wasn’t very popular, though, so maybe it’s best to think of him as “Infamous Amos”! But why? This biblical Amos was a normal, everyday working man. We hear about him in the first reading. He was an arborist; which means he ran a tree service, specializing in Sycamores and also did some shepherding on the side. He lived in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, next to the border of the Northern Kingdom. Like so many working men and women, Amos didn’t play games; he called it like he saw it. He was not a politician or kisser of backsides. So, when he was called by God to be a prophet, he stuck out like a sore thumb. There were many professional prophets in his time, people who would prophesy for a fee. Many of them were in the service of the corrupt king and instead of challenging him and calling their ruler to follow God’s laws, they constantly said whatever they thought would make the king happy and keep the peace. In large part because they were on the king’s payroll. Amos wasn't part of that crowd. His prophecies were tough, challenging and clear on the need for repentance and reform. Amaziah, the leader of the false prophets, told Amos to shut up and get out, because he was bumming everybody out and making people feel bad. But Amos said he had no choice. "The lion has roared, who will not fear? God has spoken, who can but prophesy?" So this ordinary man became the vehicle of God's truth because he was willing to share God’s message even if it was unpopular. Amos was the perfect prophet for his time because he was not captive to the king or corrupted by politics or seeking earthly favors. He knew the truth when he saw it and was courageous enough to speak it.
Fast forward to the gospel and the seemingly terrible choices Jesus made in terms of personnel to go spread his gospel of freedom and repentance. Four were fishermen. One was a hated tax collector. One a political zealot. There was nothing extraordinary about any of the twelve that Jesus sent out to preach, to heal and to expel demons. They were ordinary, mostly uneducated people, given instructions to conduct themselves like prophets. But because of their love for Jesus and his truth, the Word of God worked through them.
God works through everyday people, including us. There is a saying that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the ones He calls. The Word of God wants to work through you and will qualify each and every one of you to bring the saving message to those you encounter. You do not need a theological degree or priestly ordination to be a prophet. You simply need a love for the truth of the gospel and a heart open to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Similar to Amos and the apostles, some of the best representatives of God have been the people the world sees as unqualified and inadequate.
Our times are not so different from those of Amos. Even though our country is still recovering from the hardships of the pandemic, it is undoubtedly a prosperous nation. In our time many people have gotten caught up in acquiring things and have forgotten the laws of God. So many in our world want to hear what make them feel good about themselves rather than the truth that challenges their lifestyles. Far too many Christians have bought into this mindset and have become false prophets, preaching a gospel of prosperity and comfort. Far too many Catholics have become consumed with greed and the opinions of society. We see the results of this moral failure in the fact that our Christian nation continues to slaughter a million innocent children through abortion each year. We see it reflected in the growing indifference towards immoral acts of euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. This wandering from the truth manifests itself in the increasing attacks against the meaning and sanctity of human sexuality and traditional marriage. Not only have many Catholics tolerated these things, a large number of Catholics have elected officials who advocate these unholy practices!!
The example of Amos serves as a reminder and an inspiration to all of us as followers of Christ. Most of us are not prophets by trade or training. Certainly there are certain truths of our faith that we wish were easier to accept. And if it were up to us, we would just go through life minding our own business and making ends meet. But as Christians, we have been given the challenge and privilege of proclaiming the truth, in our time and in our culture, no matter how foreign or unpopular that truth might be. Imagine the good that would follow in our world if all of us, as a group of Catholics, stood up for the truth, completely and unapologetically. This is how Christ commissioned the Apostles in today's gospel and by our baptism, we have received that same mission. Allow this Eucharistic sacrifice to give you strength, especially in those moments and circumstances where you might be tempted to waver and soften the truth. And if there have been times where you have forsaken that truth, ask the Lord for his pardon and peace.
Sadly, there will always be people who reject the message. Maybe some of us were in that group at one time We may have to move on and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to others, just as the disciples were told to move on when they were rejected. But don't stop praying for them. And be patient. Joy, happiness and the Presence of the Lord are contagious. Sometimes, though, it takes time for people to allow God’s grace to soften their heart. Most importantly, don’t be silent! Many people will hear the message clearer when it comes from you rather than from me or any other priest. Because of your work, friendships, and human connections, you will have opportunities to witness to God’s truth to people and places I will never have a chance to encounter or enter.
May we be a people, like Amos, who proclaims the whole truth of the Lord, in and out of season, whether it is popular or not, so that in this life, and more importantly, in the life to come, we may be truly and eternally blessed.
