"True or False": A Reflection on The First Reading for July 15th, 2018: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 7:12-15

12 And Amazi'ah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." 14 Then Amos answered Amazi'ah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

​I’m ok, you’re ok. Your truth is true for you, just as my truth is true for me. This is what many in the world around us believe. This is what Amazi’ah believed, and he basically told Amos as much. In a patronizing tone, he shooed Amos back to the place where his truth was relevant, and urged him away from the people of Bethel because they live by a different truth. But isn’t it true that truth must, by definition, be absolute? Because in order for something to be true, other things must be false. Otherwise, nothing at all is true, and everything is relative.

I was having dinner with a friend who is a non-believer the other night. As dinner was served, I sat staring at my plate, trying to summon the courage to bless myself before I gave thanks for the food I was about to eat. This was the longest 3 minutes ever. My friend talked about this and that, and encouraged me to go ahead and eat, and I sat there, frozen (and hungry). In the end, I sold out, and prayed quietly in my heart without making the sign of the cross.

I hope I am the only one who has ever committed this sin, because I have felt so sorry for it ever since, and a piece of my self worth fell away as I denied the will of my Father in that moment. I had justified my decision to say grace quietly and inconspicuously so as not to challenge the unbeliever, or make them feel uncomfortable. I was being considerate, wasn’t I? No. I was being inauthentic. This wasn’t really about them, it was about me. I wanted to remain in my comfort zone; to fit in—to not look like the outsider.

This reading highlights the faith, courage and authenticity of Amos. He openly tells Amazi’ah, “I’m no big deal… just an ordinary Joe” (I paraphrase). The simple, lowly follower, though, becomes an influential leader when he opens his heart in obedience to God’s call. And no one can offend ‘the called’. They are unoffendable—reassured by God Himself that they are living the purpose He has set out for them—secure in the knowledge that no wrong can come of that.
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Amos embodies humility and embraces Truth with love. When we love the other, we tell them the truth—by example (blessing ourselves before we pray) or with words. Placating, or telling the other what they want to hear, is acting out of love of self. The comfort zone—not the God zone. Uncomfortable though it may be at times, when we are being true to ourselves, we are actually being true to Him—to Truth Himself. And we are all called to this authentic Truth.

Lori MacDonald

"The simple, lowly follower becomes an influential leader when he opens his heart in obedience to God’s call." - Lori MacDonald (Ora Reflections)