2ND JULY 2022
Reflection
Our today's reflection is be based on our first reading Amos:9:11-15
This reading talks of God's promise of raising up the ruins after His divine judgement.
Earlier in the week we talked of the Immanent judgement and punishment by God upon His people for their failure to keep the covenant.
They have worshipped other gods and failed to take care of the weak upon them. They have oppressed the poor, widows and orphans instead of taking care of them. Even after many warnings, exhortations and cautions from the prophets. the people have remained obstinate and rebellious.
This rebellion has invited judgement: God's judgement is inescapable! However the punishment is not purely meant to destroy the people but to lead them to repentance! The prophet uses the words: "the Lord will sift the house of Israel among all nations ... and not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground"- implying that He will punish them in view of saving them. Thus, those who repent will be restored to blessing and abundance.
After the punishment God Himself will rebuild His people and help them to be stable once again. He will restore abundance to His people.
The relevance of our reading is thus:
1. The Christian call is a call to holiness "be holy as your father in Heaven is holy" Mt 5:48
2. God will always send us his prophets to remind us of our all to holiness
3. Refusal to repentance is rebellion to God's mercy: it attracts divine judgement and punishment
4. Repentance wards off God's judgement and punishment and restores peace, abundance and blessings upon us.5. We shall not go to hell because we sinned but because we rejected God's forgiveness; because we refused to repent!
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