29TH JUNE 2022
Our today’s reflection will be based on our first reading Amos:5: 14-15,21-24
Prophet Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah but was called by God to prophecy in the northern kingdom of Israel. He wrote during a time of relative peace and prosperity. Unfortunately it was also a time of religious negligence. He spoke against an increased disparity between the very poor and the very wealthy. The major themes of his prophecy include:
- social justice among the people
- Omnipotence of God (God is all powerful)
- divine judgement against oppression.
In our today’s reading the prophet is warming the people of an impending divine judgement against Israel due to their religious indifference and lack of justice among themselves. He, therefore, invites them to repentance. He reminds them that God is so powerful, saying: “He turns midnight into dawn, and darkens day into night..” Thus they should do what it takes to escape his wrath.
They should therefore turn to God by engaging in genuine religion, being just and avoid engaging in evil and sin.
The teaching of Amos is relevant to us today in several ways:
1. Our God is all powerful and we should have our total trust in Him. Failure to trust in God will lead to judgement and to frustrations/failure.
2. Our God is a God of justice; we should thus act justly to our fellow human beings.
3. The Christian call is a call to righteousness (be holy as your father in heaven is holy- My5:48) and we should, thus, constantly seek to be holy and avoid all temptations and occasions of sin.
4. In search for holiness we should constantly engage in self examination and repentance
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