Daily Reflection Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

The Book of the Prophet Amos gives us some of the most startling and harsh images in

scripture. God’s threats of punishment to his people are vivid, detailed and frightening.

The injustice practiced by the people is pervasive and monumental and deserving of

God’s wrath. “They sell the just man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals.

They trample the heads of the weak into the dust of the earth…” (Monday) Some of the

most violent images have been passed over in the many verses not included in the daily

readings. But of all that is threatened what we hear today is the most stark and

dreadful: “I will send famine upon the land: Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but

for hearing the word of the LORD.” The people will search from sea to sea but not find

God’s word.

In the Gospel, God’s Word, Jesus Christ, comes to Matthew who responds and follows.

God’s Word stands in front of the Pharisees but they cannot hear and follow. They

thought they knew the word they would hear, but “He came to what was his own, but his

own did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become

children of God…” (John 1:11-12)

A famine of the word of God would indeed be a calamity. But so would our failure to

hear God’s word and not respond. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire

mercy, not sacrifice.” Christ came to call not the righteous but sinners. He came to call

us.