Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures all of us are reminded that each and every one of us as God’s beloved and holy people ought to listen to Him and obey His Law and commandments. We should not harden our hearts and minds, being stubborn or disobedient against God as many of us and our predecessors had done, which had led them all into sin and wicked ways, and which had brought some of them into the path towards downfall and eternal damnation. As God’s people we must truly be wholehearted in our commitment to Him, in doing what He has taught and shown us all to do, so that we are truly worthy to be called as His disciples and followers, and as His holy and beloved people.

In our first reading today, we heard the Lord speaking to His people through the prophet Amos, speaking about His grievances and anger against them because of their lack of faith in Him and their lack of virtue and their wickedness, all of the evil and unworthy deeds and actions which they had carried out in violation to God’s Law and commandments. The prophet Amos was sent to the northern kingdom of Israel, and he was entrusted with the message of God speaking to the people who have disobeyed Him for a long time, constantly and persistently refusing to follow Him and obey Him despite repeated reminders and help from the Lord through His many prophets and messengers. The people of Israel instead persecuted and oppressed those prophets and messengers that had been sent to them.

That was why the prophet Amos voiced out God’s disapproval and disappointment with the behaviour and attitude shown by His people, who have repeatedly committed all sorts of wicked and sinful actions, deeds and works which were abhorrent to God. The prophet Amos reminded the people both of everything that God had done for the sake of His beloved ones, all the works and efforts He had done in caring and bringing God’s people ever nearer to Him, from His liberation of the Israelites in Egypt, to the things He had done in protecting and providing for the people throughout their way to the Promised Land and protecting them, giving them His blessings, guidance and help throughout the time when they were dwelling in that Promised Land.

Yet, they still rebelled and disobeyed God, and God showed His displeasure by warning them of the impending disaster and hardships that they all would have to face as the consequences of their many sins, evils and wickedness. God has always been patient with His people, loving them and caring for them even despite all these wicked and unruly behaviour that they have displayed before Him and before all the other people. This is therefore a reminder for all of us that while God’s love and mercy are truly enduring and wonderful in all of their richness and perseverance, but ultimately we must embrace this love and mercy wholeheartedly, so that we can be forgiven from our sins and wickedness, and therefore gain the assurance of eternal life.

This is because no sin can exist before God, and since sin is a corruption and dark stain on our souls and our beings, we cannot truly experience the fullness of God’s love and grace as long as our lives continue to be overshadowed by sin and evil in our midst. That was also what happened to the Israelites in the past, as their sins and wickedness were great obstacles which prevented them all from truly being able to come to the Lord and gain the fullness of His grace and love. All of their sins and wickedness have to be answered for and settled, and the same applies to us all as well. If we do not get our sins and faults sorted out before the time of the reckoning of our lives, then we must suffer the consequences of our sins, just as the Israelites had suffered.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples and to the people that if they all wanted to follow Him, they must truly follow Him wholeheartedly, and they must be ready to face challenges and hardships throughout their journey in life. He told them that the Son of Man did not have even a place to lay down His head, and this is a representation of the kind of commitment that would often be required of all those who seek to follow the Lord wholeheartedly. To us, it is a reminder that we are all called to devote ourselves to the Lord and His path, embracing Him and His way fully and completely, by living lives that are truly holy and worthy of God in all the things that we say and do throughout our whole lives.

All of us are reminded to live our lives in accordance with the way of the Lord, abandoning our past sinfulness and wickedness, embracing Him and His love wholeheartedly at all times. We are all called to seek the Lord, His forgiveness, compassion and grace, all that He has ever generously presented to us. All of us are called to a life of virtue, acting in the manner that is acceptable and truly worthy of the Lord at all times. Each and every one of us have been shown how to do this by the Lord Himself and taught of His Law and commandments through His Church. Now what matters is for us to answer God’s call and renew our commitment to Him, to be a people that is truly committed and full of love and faith in Him.

May the Lord continue to bless us all and strengthen each and every one of us in our journey in life. May He continue to guide us all in His Church so that in everything that we say and do, we will continue to do so with true faith and devotion to God, that we will continue to do our best to glorify God through each and every parts of our lives. May God bless us all in our every good efforts, endeavours and works in all things, now and forevermore. Amen.