Monday of the 13th week in the ordinary time
Theme: A call to repentance
In the 1st reading of today, the prophet Amos presents to us the anger of God against the people of Israel because they have deviated from the way of God, and the poor are oppressed by those greater than them. At this time the level of morality was very low and this greatly angered God, and as a result was going to punish the Israelites. My brothers and sisters in Christ, each time we are presented with readings such as this, it is an opportunity for us to try to relate it with our personal life and also the society in which we live. The love of God for the poor and less privileged in the society is never in doubt, and we are told about how they are oppressed in Israel during the time of the prophet Amos, and God was not happy with it. Bringing it home dearly beloved in Christ, how do you relate with the poor people around you and those who encounter you at one time or the other? Do they leave you better than they were when they met you, or they leave you worse than they were when they met you? It is important that we don’t leave them worse than they were when they met you. It is important that we give the poor and less privilege hope to continue to look forward to a brighter future, just like God is doing for all those who trust in him; remember that no condition is permanent, and no one is certain about the future, except God.
Adhering to the admonition of God through the prophet Amos in today’s 1st reading, will be a step in the right direction as we accept the call to discipleship presented to us by Jesus himself in today’s gospel reading. It is God that calls us to partake of his ministry, and it is for us to decide whether we want to accept the call or not; often times he does not force us to accept his call. However, there is always a price to pay if we decide to accept the invitation that God presents to us. Sometimes the price may be very discomforting, because it moves us away from our comfort zone to wherever God wants us to be at that time. The good news dear friends in Christ is that whatever we give up as we answer the call of God, cannot be compared to what God has in stock for us at his own time. This should be a source of strength for you, when things become very challenging and difficult for you as a result of your option for Christ. May God grant you the grace to remain steadfast when you are faced with the storms of life, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.