A Man Named Amos
These words are
for you and for me also, that we may repent of any and all transgressions
(personal and collective) against God's moral law, especially crimes (even when
legally sanctioned) against the weak and the lowly, the poor and the small.
The
daily Scripture passages for this week's first readings are all taken from the
Book of the Prophet Amos. For historical background it is important to know
that after the death of Solomon in about 922 BC, the Jewish nation split into
two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In previous weeks,
the First and Second Book of Kings has recounted how Israel fell in 722 BC, and
Judah capitulated in 587 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem.
Amos
was active as a prophet in Israel sometime before its fall, probably between
760-750 BC. Although this was a time of apparent peace and prosperity, Amos
prophesied divine chastisement for the moral crimes of Damascus, Gaza, Tyre,
Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, and most especially, Israel (cf. today's reading).
Amos' prophecy develops the moral implications of God as all-good, and
therefore intolerant of all evil.
At
that time, worship of God was often superstitious and superficial - many people
assumed that as long as sacrifice was offered to Him, God would be satisfied
and protect His chosen people, even in spite of their evil transgressions. This
sentiment is confronted in Psalm 49(50), but tragically, this attitude toward
faith can still be found today (more on this later). Yet the clear insight
arising from the prophecy of Amos is that the chosen people certainly and most
especially are not excluded from God's moral law, so when they choose evil,
evil comes upon them!
As
we are confronted this week with the words of Amos, it is most important that
we do not dismiss them as merely directed to others, or as the warning of an
out-of-touch alarmist. These words are for you and for me also, that we may
repent of any and all transgressions (personal and collective) against God's
moral law, especially crimes (even when legally sanctioned) against the weak
and the lowly, the poor and the small.