The prophet Amos from the Old Testament holds a reputation as a prophet of both doom and hope! Israel had been unfaithful to its covenant with God; they had been punished. Therefore, Amos speaks of Israel’s restoration: rebuilding the ruins, the “basics” of life restored, a sense of being “home”, a new age, a fertile earth – flowing from an abundance of God’s love (Amos 9:11-15).
Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 9:14-17) pictures the disciples of John the Baptist questioning Jesus about the demands of fasting. Jesus uses a variety of images – a wedding celebration, patching a piece of fabric, the care of new wine – to help them understand that, in Him, God is sharing a new image of God. God’s love is fresh, new, abundant; God is forgiving, generous, loving. Jesus challenges them to “think outside the box”.
Today, July 4, 2020 we’re invited to embrace the opportunities and challenges of life: The global pandemic with catastrophic illness and death; social unrest and calls for a change of attitude and practice in the U.S.; contemporary “prophets” of doom and gloom (“trolls” and conspiracy theorists), fanning fear with selfishness and mistrust. Jesus invites us to have faith in Him, to “think outside the box” and see the bigger (global) picture, to accept and share God’s generous life and love, so powerfully revealed in His suffering and death on the Cross.
Psalm 85 speaks of God’s gifts of peace, kindness, truth, justice, salvation – the needed message of hope and encouragement for the U.S. and our world this July 4th. Encouraged by the prophet Amos of old and one another’s example, may Jesus bring about new Life for our world!
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