Daily Readings - Thu Jul 05 2018
Amos
10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.11For thus Amos has said, "'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'"12And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there,13but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."14Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.15But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'16Now therefore hear the word of the LORD. "You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.'17Therefore Thus says the LORD: "'Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.'"
Matthew
1And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.2And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."3And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?5For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?6But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he then said to the paralytic--"Rise, pick up your bed and go home."7And he rose and went home.8When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of authority, obedience, and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from the prophet Amos recounts his confrontation with Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amos, a humble shepherd called by God to prophesy, is rejected and silenced by the religious establishment for speaking truths that challenge the status quo. His courage in the face of opposition reminds us that true prophecy often discomforts those in power, yet it is essential for calling people back to God.
In the Gospel, we find Jesus in Matthew’s account, who, with a word, forgives the sins of a paralytic and heals his body. This act of mercy and power shocks the scribes, who question Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. Yet, through this miracle, Jesus demonstrates that His authority comes not from human institutions but from God Himself. Both readings challenge us to consider where we place our trust and how we respond to God’s call in our lives. Amos and Jesus remind us that true authority is rooted in obedience to God’s will, even when it means facing resistance or stepping out in faith.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we like Amaziah, resisting the truths that make us uncomfortable, or are we like the paralytic, trusting in God’s power to transform us? Let us embrace the courage of Amos and the faith of the paralytic. May we, too, allow God to work through us, even when it means challenging the norms around us. In doing so, we may discover the freedom and healing that come from trusting in God’s plan and living with integrity and faith.