SURELY I WILL NEVER FORGET ANY OF THEIR DEEDS
(Biblical reflection on the 25th Ordinary Sunday, [Year C] – September 22, 2013
First Reading: Amos 8:4-7
Psalms: Psalm 113:1-2,4-8; Second Reading: 1Timothy 2:1-8; Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13
Scripture Text:
Hear this, you who tramples upon the needy, and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great, and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: “Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.” (Amos 8:4-7 RSV)
More than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Amos was on the biblical scene, preaching the need for integrity. He was a farmer from southern Israel, who travelled to the rich northern part of the country, by divine inspiration. His mission was to condemn the selfishness of the rich who refused to help their struggling brothers and sisters. Amos had a three word formula for making money: “Make it honestly”.
He was infuriated with those people who cheated in their business dealings, and he predicted that God would take revenge on them. In today’s reading we hear his anger blazing out against the cheats, the swindlers and all dishonest and selfish people.
Some are so greedy, Amos says, that they refuse to worship or rest on the Sabbath, lest they lose business. They are even impatient with nature, complaining that it taken too long for the wheat to ripen, before they can sell it.
Amos condemned the vendors who cheated their customers by using small measures (ephah) when selling grain by the bushel, and heavy scale weights (shekel) when buying by the pound. He also denounced those who offer bribes, pay-offs and kick-backs, and who entice the poor to do their “dirty work” by offering them a few silver pieces or a pair of shoes. Amos is an old-time preacher whose message needs to be heard in today’s world. Hear him shouting to the contemporary charlatans, “God will not forget what you have done.”
Generally speaking, is our society any better than the one Amos knew, 2700 years ago? Since we constitute our society, how would we answer the following questions? Am I an honest person? Have I ever “deliberately” cheated anyone? Am I 100% trustworthy with other people’s money and possessions? Do I consider it sinful to take advantage of others, even though it’s easy to do? If you don’t rate well, you might be helped by reading the Book of Amos. It’s only nine chapters.
Unfortunately, we live in an atmosphere of deception, which makes suspicious of others’ motives and fearful of being cheated. We face everything from deliberate frauds and vicious lies to psychological manipulations – like the price $19.99 to make us think it’s much cheaper than $20.00.
Honesty is not only the best policy but the only one. The integrity we use in dealing with our neighbour determines whether or not we are honest with God. Don’t we feel some obligation to be as good as our word and help people to continue to trust others? Jesus, like Amos, clearly taught that it is maliciously sinful to deceive or victimize the poor, the uninformed, the old, the young, or anyone.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we believe that as disciples of Christ, it is not our role to be prophets of doom. But not until we pass through the period of grief and anger so sensitively portrayed for us in the oracles of Amos of Tekoa, we will be able to arrive at the strong position of proclaimers of hope. Thank you, Lord God, for appointing Amos as your prophet to the broken world.