Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Have you ever felt rather unpopular for what you believe or maybe even for speaking out in truth? Jesus and Amos both were criticized, disliked, and rejected for speaking the truth. There were some important people who didn’t particularly like what they had to say.
In today’s first reading (Amos 7: 10-17) we hear of how Amos, a shepherd and tree trimmer, was sent by God to prophecy the destruction of Israel for their sinfulness. Apparently they performed religious rituals, worshipping God, while ignoring the needs of the poor and lowly in their midst. In this passage, Amos is being rejected for telling the truth about Israel’s hypocrisy and injustices, and its resulting future destruction. The rulers didn’t want to hear this truth; they didn’t want to face this reality.
In today’s gospel reading from Matthew (9: 1-8), there is a similar theme, although maybe not initially apparent. Jesus heals a paralyzed man, but does so by forgiving his sins, which brings criticism from the Scribes that were present. They think Jesus is blasphemous for forgiving the man’s sins, something that they believed only God could do. The Scribes miss the importance of the healing, focusing instead on Jesus’ words, which are truth that they don’t want to hear. Jesus speaks the truth that he has forgiven the man’s sins, but they criticize and do not accept him and his healing power.
Like Amos, Jesus was rejected by the leaders of his time. They both spoke the truth; a truth that many did not want to hear.
Like the paralytic man, we are all in need of forgiveness and healing on some level. Have you, like me, ever experienced a sort of spiritual paralysis? Weighed down by fear or insecurities, lack of courage, I have found myself unable to speak the truth at times; unable to stand up for what is right. We talk about children and teens facing peer pressure, but it is certainly there for adults as well. Perhaps we remain silent rather than speaking the truth or standing up for what is right out of fear of ridicule or not fitting in or risking promotion at work, or looking like a fool.
Sadly, if we remain in this sort of spiritual paralysis, we cannot fully live the life that we are called to. Is there a truth about our own lives that we don’t want to hear? Don’t want to face? Let us pray for healing and forgiveness, courage and strength to live the truth and the life that God is calling us to. May we live our lives in a way that is just and without hypocrisy, speaking the truth and walking in God’s ways.
Eileen Miller