A Reflection for Friday, December 13, 2024 by Jeanne Barnes
Lectionary reading for 12/13/2024: Isaiah 12:2-6; Amos 8:4-12; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Selected passage for reflection: Amos 8:4-12
Read
Amos 8:4-12 NRSV
Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
saying, “When will the new moon be over
so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath,
so that we may offer wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
and practice deceit with false balances,
buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals,
and selling the sweepings of the wheat.”
The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
Shall not the land tremble on this account,
and everyone mourn who lives in it,
and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink
again, like the Nile of Egypt?
On that day, says the Lord God,
I will make the sun go down at noon,
and darken the earth in broad daylight.
I will turn your feasts into mourning
and all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on all loins,
and baldness on every head;
I will make it like the mourning for an only son,
and the end of it like a bitter day.
The time is surely coming, says the Lord God,
when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.
They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
but they shall not find it.
Reflect
Here it is, a little less than two weeks until Christmas. If you’re like me, your head is probably full of meal planning for guests, shopping trips for last minute gifts, and end-of-the year report filing. You wake up early to the sound of the local newscaster telling you of global, national and local events of the previous day. You catch up on the earthquakes, the floods, and the loss of life around you. You even watch the bottom ticker tape for a report on stocks you’ve invested in. The radio is blaring; your mind is racing. You buzz the drive-thru for coffee and hurry on with your day. Your life is loud.
This was pretty much the same for the people of Amos’s time. They couldn’t wait to get rich off the labor of the poor, to go on with their luxuriant lifestyle, to complete their ancient to-do list. The prophet shouted in the marketplace but no one answered. Their lives were loud and pleasurable. His voice was vague and annoying.
We read about the Israelites and convince ourselves that we don’t exploit the poor. We give generously to all the causes that flood our mailboxes. But Amos’s words still echo in our ears. What are we doing about income equality, universal health care, affordable housing, accessible childcare, racial fairness? Our answers are mere whispers in the noise of the world around us. We teether between advocating for social justice and feeling overwhelmed and helpless. We know we should act, should do the hard work, but not just yet. Our comfortable life beckons us. We’ll get to God’s work when we have more time. We’ll be the queen of filling the food banks, the king of organizing low-income housing. We’ll answer Amos’s call. Soon.
And that’s not all we’ll do. We won’t tune God out anymore. We’ll spend time with the Lord, turn to him and hear his voice. His words will resonate in all our thoughts and actions. We’ll read. We’ll meditate. We’ll listen. We’ll be a God-centered woman, a Spirit-filled man. Someday.
But time may be running out. Just as the people of Amos’s time, we may have to act now to avoid the famine in our lives. Just as God proclaimed a famine on hearing his word to the people of Amos’s time, the famine may be upon us. The season of our life is filled with loudness. We forget how to hear the still, small voice within us. We are spiritually hungry, but unable to find nourishment.
Like the people of Amos’s time, we need to take a breather from our loud lives and listen for God’s voice. We must do more than mail a check now and then. We are obligated to work for social justice. We are required to feed the hungry, and to feed our souls. We must commit to answering God’s call. Now.
Respond
Turn off the TV, close the iPad, and open yourself to God’s word. Ask for directions on the path to equality for all and the strength to walk it. Pray for a spirit-inspired lesson plan of social justice. Then listen.
Rest
O God of abundance and all good gifts, help us to listen to your words. Give us the courage to act for equality. And bless us with the overflowing goodness of your voice. Amen
About the author
Jeanne Barnes is a retired English teacher living in the small coastal town of Gulf Breeze, Florida. There she has been instrumental in organizing a weekly faith-sharing group for the past 30 years. She is also co-chair of the Foster Family Support Ministry, an organization advocating for safe and loving placement of foster children as well as providing financial support and respite care for the foster families.