Suffering for the Word and Discerning the Word

Amos 7:7-15
psalm 85:8-13
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29

Amos is probably the first prophet whose preaching was complied as a written document. He lived during the reigns of the two kings Uzziah (783-742) of Judah and Jeroboam II (785-745) of Israel. It was a time of economic and military expansion. However, the material success did not reflect faithfulness to God.

Amos says that he was an ordinary man (working with flocks and trees) when the Lord sent him to bring the bad news to the Israel that their end was near. This judgement happened twenty five years later, in 722BC, when the capital of Samaria fell to the Assyrians and those tribes of Israel were lost forever.

Judgment is never pleasant and so we understand the Amaziah's of the world. We also prefer to hear that "all will be well." We, too, are inclined to "shoot the messenger." Amaziah told Amos "go home." Most of us would cheer the priest who stood up to the negative prophet. Amos stood steadfastly and declared Israel's end. In 7:16-17 (left out in today's reading) the prophet responds on a personal level: "your wife will be a prostitute, your children will die by the sword, your land will be divided out, and you will die in a foreign land; because Israel will be exiled." That is harsh. I can imagine the prophet confronting the politically connected priest and I can imagine that priests reaction to such words. No one wants to hear such words, but it doesn't really matter what we want to hear. The truth can be harsh.

John the Baptizer was also an unwelcome prophet. He confronted Herod and made enemies in high places. the man who lived in the desert under the stars spent his last days locked away in a dank prison. Then a soldier was dispatched with a sword. Did John wonder if God had forsaken him during that time? He was faithful to God and the cost of such loyalty to God is the way of the cross.

Because the world can be harsh, Jesus tells us, "Do not fear but believe." Courage and trust are at the heart of our Christian life. The struggles and challenges of Amos and John remind us why faith and courage are so important. When the powerful of the world turn against you, it is a temptation to edit the message and make it more pleasing. Faithfulness takes faith. Faithfulness takes courage. Living God's word has a price.

Please understand, this is not a call to pessimism or negativity. It is a call to reality. God's prophetic word is always judgement but that judgement is not only exile, death and punishment. It is also deliverance, healing and mercy. It is our task to discern what the Father is truly saying. Fr. Joseph and I read the word and preach it, but each of you, must prayerfully discern if you hear God speaks through us.

How can one know if Amos or John, Joseph or Jeff is speaking a true message from God? One ancient biblical criteria was confirmation--Amos warned and Israel was exiled--so are the warnings accurate, or the promises fulfilled? Another criteria is the Scripture and Tradition: is it consistent with God's Word in the Bible and His Church's teaching? On a personal level, the criteria is theosis. Does the message bring God into you and you into God? Does the message enlighten your mind? Does the message free you from the deadly passions? Does the message make you holy?

There are many voices and much that is new and innovative. We do not want to be Amaziah or Herod rejecting the ones whom God has sent us. Yet with some many conflicting voices it is hard to know what to believe, especially when many of those voices seem so confident. The hard task will probably only get harder in days ahead. And the opposition to God and His word will get worse. Much worse. Union with God is the only way to make it through the challenges we face ahead. Like Amos and John, we must be prepared to declare His word if He sends us.

Let us pray: Lord, the world, the flesh and the devil speak falsehood, send the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth, to be filled with Jesus and serve you faithfully. Amen.