11 July 2021 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

Amos 7:12-15, NRSV

Like other prophets, Amos was given a difficult task to achieve. He was sent by God from his home in Judah and sent to the neighbouring kingdom of Israel to warn them of the need to mend their ways. There was already enmity between these two nations so it was unsurprising that Amos was given short shrift and told to go away. In his defence, Amos tried to point out that he had not chosen to be a prophet – he had been happy leading an obscure life tending to his flock and sycamore trees. As in the case of many other prophets, God had chosen someone who felt unequal to and unprepared for the task he was being given. However unwilling he may have been, God was eventually able to communicate powerfully with his people through Amos.

• • Was Amos’ reluctance understandable?
  • Have you ever felt called by God to a task that could make you unpopular?

Be open to the tasks – small or big – that God needs you to fulfil.

Image By 18 cen. icon painter – Iconostasis of Kizhi Monastery, Russia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3232602