First Reading: Am 7:12-15
Second Reading: Eph 1:3-14
Gospel: Mk 6:7-13
Dear friends we are in the Fifteenth
Sunday of the Ordinary Time. The readings of today are about being a messenger
or a prophet of God in the world that is filled with hatred, envy and violence.
In the first reading prophet Amos is sent to the kingdom of Israel, particularly
to Bethel to prophesy. He is met with contempt both from Jeroboam, the king of Israel
and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amos replies to Amaziah that he is neither a
prophet nor an heir of any prophet, but an ordinary famer and herdsman (Am 7:14).
His prophetic ministry comes directly from the Lord God. Therefore, Amos
rejects to take directions from king and be silent. This courageous act of Amos
contrast Amaziah, the priest of Bethel whose ministry too comes from the Lord
God. As a priest of God, Amaziah was supposed to obey God and communicate God’s
word to the King and to the people of the land. On the contrary, Amaziah chose
to communicate the words of the king as God’s word, which is an abomination. The
corruption of priesthood in the society signals that there is no room for God’s
word. Amos, having received the vocation to be a prophet directly from the Lord
God YHWH, vouches to be faithful to God till the shedding of his blood (Heb
12:4). His great trust in the Lord God to prophesy amidst opposition from
political and religious powers of the nation is an impetus for us to profess
our identity as Christians amidst blooming persecution and threats.
In the Gospel, Jesus sends
the apostles two by two for a training to be prophets. They are the first and future
bishops of the church. Jesus instructs them how to carry out the noble ministry.
Jesus as founder, forerunner and leader of the Church, prepares His successors.
To the present world that seeks to hold on to power, position and leadership
until prescribed retirement or death, the leadership of Jesus is a great model.
Jesus choses to give up the power to next generation. The vocation of the
apostles too comes from their master Jesus: it was Jesus who chose them (Jn
15:16). And so, the disciple fearlessly without any hesitation venture into the
mission of proclamation, healing and exorcism. Jesus’ admonition to have minimum
things for the ministry does not disappoint them. Rather, they are enthused to
embrace such a kind of life.
The second reading, taken
from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians beautifully sings the gloriousness
of an election. St. Paul speaks of the election of the faithful to be a Christian
as a grace from God. It is not we who chose to be Christians, rather it is He
who chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) to be His sons and
daughters in Christ Jesus. Thus, it is not the vocations to religious and priesthood
are only a grace from God, rather to be a Christian itself a grace from God. He
has predestined us to be His heirs in Jesus (Eph 1:5). These verses echo the
word of God to Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before
you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you” (Jer
1:5). Amos realized this grace, other prophets realized this grace, apostles
realized this grace, first Christians realized this grace, and thus, they were
able to bear witness with courage and boldness. Today do we realize this grace?
Are we aware that we are chosen and pre-destined to be a Christian, a religious
and a priest even before our God could create this world?
St. Paul continues that our election to be Christians is to be holy and blameless. He chose us so that we should be holy and blameless before Him (Eph 1:4). To be a Christian was His choice but to be holy and blameless is our responsibility. Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Gaudete et exsultate (on the call to holiness in today’s world), tells that ‘to be holy is not a privilege for the few but a vocation for everyone’. Whether we are priest, religious or laity – whatever state of life we may lead in the church – all of us are called to holiness. The best way to proclaim the kingdom of God in today’s world is by living a holy life. ‘Be saints’ is the constant echo of the Salesian congregation and the Salesian family. Don Bosco was a saint as well as a maker of saints. As religious, and candidates we try to be blameless before our superiors. We take at most care in presenting ourselves holy and virtuous in front of human superiors. Do we do the same in front our divine superior; the supreme God, who chose us, called us right before the foundation of the world? To be holy and blameless before humans we need to hide and maintain secrets. But to be holy and blameless before one true God we need to be transparent and honest. In Jn 8:32 we read thus: “Truth will set you free”. That truth is nothing but the realization that we are accountable to ONE who chose us, not to the ones who see us materially. Just as Amos, and apostles were called and sent out, we too are called to be sent out. Are we ready to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God by being holy and blameless before one true God? The greatest struggle lies not in pretending to be holy but in striving to be so even to the point of shedding one’s blood. Therefore, let us struggle not with unhappiness but with the courage of Amos and enthusiasm of the apostles. May the good Lord bless us all!
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