All Souls Day and final destinations

Next Tuesday, Nov. 2, is more than Election Day. It’s also All Souls Day, a day of prayer for all those faithful who have died in God’s friendship but still face the purification of Purgatory.

The Church sets aside November so we can reflect on the Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven and hell. We can predict very little in our daily lives. But we do know that we’ll die. We’ll face God in judgment. And at the end of time we’ll find ourselves in one of two states: eternal joy with our Creator, or eternal bitterness in the prison of our own sins.

Every year at this time I reread the Prophet Amos. The word “Amos” in Hebrew literally means “one who bears the burden.” That’s what the prophets did. They were men who bore the burden of speaking God’s truth to people who didn’t want to hear it. And even today, when we read Scripture, the prophets continue to speak to us. They always give us a new burden — a new awareness that affects our lives. We find that burden summarized in a great warning the Prophet Amos gave the Jewish people: Thus says the Lord, God of hosts, “Woe to the complacent in Zion” (Am 6:1).

Our English word “complacent” comes from two Latin words; cum which means “with” and placere, which means “to please.” To be complacent means to be “pleased with,” and that usually means pleased with ourselves. Complacency has nothing to do with being lazy. It’s not about sloth. It’s about being self-satisfied. Being pleased with oneself, for a Christian, is a form of idolatry. We should only be satisfied with God.

Being pleased with themselves was the sin of the Jewish people that Amos attacked. According to Scripture, they were lying on beds of ivory, stretched out comfortably on their couches. They ate lambs taken from the flock and calves from the stall. They had more food than other people while the poor starved.

“Zion” is a word that the Old Testament sometimes uses to describe Jerusalem. Not the earthly city of Jerusalem, but Jerusalem perfected at the end of time. America today probably comes closer to that understanding of Zion than any nation in human history. We are a rich country. Our people are wealthy; even our poor are well off compared to the poor in other countries. We’re powerful in ways that no other nation has ever achieved, and compared to most places we enjoy peace. That’s why Sept. 11 was such a shock. We thought we were invincible and that we’d be at peace indefinitely. Thus, we’re a privileged nation, and so in a special way Amos’ warning is directed to us.

“Woe to the complacent in Zion.” The Jews of Amos’ time were not made ill by the collapse of Joseph. Joseph was the father of the northern tribes of Israel. Amos issued his warning because they were not made sick by the misfortune of their brothers and sisters. Likewise, if we are not made sick by the suffering of the poor, the crucifixion of other countries like Sudan and the persecution of fellow Christians around the world; if we are not somehow moved profoundly by those terrible things happening around the globe, then we deserve the same bitter judgment about which the Prophet Amos warned.

On Nov. 2 and throughout the coming month of prayer for the Poor Souls, we need to remember that we are citizens of God’s kingdom first, America second. God won’t ask about our political party when we stand before Him in judgment. He’ll ask what we did to protect the unborn child; to feed the hungry; to help the poor. And much more than a national election hangs on our answer.

Archbishop Chaput adapted his column this week from his homily at the Sept. 25 Sunset Mass at Red Rocks.

I have sympathy for the intention of the message of Amos, as it breaths the spirit of the scripture to live good and truthful.
As the article states: if you are privileged, to be complacent is a sin, be moved by the suffering of the poor; care for the victims -[here: ..the crucifixion of countries (...) and the persecution (...)]- or deserve bitter judgment.

The judgment is as usual in the biblical writing tradition -it's all about the truth- announced by the truthspeaker, the prophet, the guy who sees it. He is as much liked as a man with smart words and lofty demands is today. That's his burden, bearable as long as he isn't beaten out of town and has his next meal coming.

So I like the main message of AA Cunninghams contribution. Religion is a suit that can help to shape our life. Also the truth has many forms and we always have to agree on one. How holy was Jezus mother? Enough to be his mom in the bible.

When I look at all the assumptions in this article, then I have to wonder what is
religious about a number of them.

For example:

1
'We should only be satisfied with God.'
I agree, everything flows, we do not stay here, we know that.
(note: there is individual life on earth that doesn't die. It returns to baby-state and then starts anew. So cells have found at least one way to escape aging).

2
'we need to remember that we are citizens of Gods kingdom first'
Allright, Gods kingdom, a fitting name.

3, 4 and 5
'All Souls Day and final destinations'
'Jerusalem perfected at the end of time'
'when we stand before Him in judgment. He will ask what we did in specifics..'

These all lead to one question: 'Really, is that so?'
We know little about the things we see happen in our universe.
And religion is about the truth we agree on.

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