Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

As we read the book of Amos these days as our first reading, we must be a little careful not to take parts of the book (as we have them for daily mass) as the entire message of Amos. I say this because there is much harsh treatment of Israel mentioned there in and one can think of Amos as only preaching condemnation. The last chapter, as we shall later, does end with a message of hope. Today’s reading, through analogy, brings home a difficult yet important message. In an anaology in yesterday's first reading (Amos 3:1-8) we read “Do two walk together unless they have agreed?” This is a reference to the Covenant made between God and the people on Mount Sinai. A covenant is not a mere contract. A covenant is a relationship. It is abnormal to develop a relationship with one who we hire to perform services. Unlike a contract, a covenant does not require a terms and conditions. God and Israel did not enter into a contract. Rather, they entered into a Covenant. It was a marriage, a love relationship, an intimacy. Israel's infidelity makes it seem that the Covenant is now a one sided affair. Hence the rhetorical question by God, "“Do two walk together unless they have agreed?”

Today's reading lays out the implications of a broken Covenant. It is a breach in a very holy relationship. Thus God says,
“I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the LORD,
I take no pleasure in your solemnities;
Your cereal offerings I will not accept,
nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings.
Away with your noisy songs!
I will not listen to the melodies of your harps."

Whereas on the one hand the intensity of the readings can bring about mixed emotions in us, clearly the purpose of the reading is not to cow us down in fear filled obedience. Rather, the real purpose of the reading is to communicate with us the seriousness of breaking our relationship with God – sin. Sin hurts, sin wounds, sin causes pain, sin makes God weep for us. If anything, today we are being called to reflect on our covenantal relationship with God.

The gospel reading is an assurance of the fact that God is still faithful to the Covenant. Not only does God send us Jesus as a sign of God’s fidelity but also tells us that Jesus saves us just like he saved the demoniac. God has already rescued us from eternal destruction. We are already in the safety of God’s love.
- Fr. Satish Joseph