First Reading
Amos 7:12-15
Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos, “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Second Reading
Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth. In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.
Gospel Cycle Cycle B
Mark 6:7-13
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
This Sunday the Lord tells us that if we choose to follow His word, we will suffer and be rejected. This should not surprise us because Jesus Himself, in faithfulness to the Father, suffered for doing the Father’s will. Jesus is clear when He tells His own followers: you will be rejected by others. Be prepared and just keep on going.
The Prophet Amos tells us part of his story in the first reading today. It is basically the same story for any prophet or for anyone who wants seriously to follow the Lord. God will ask us to do things that we would rather not do. God will ask us to speak for Him. God will ask us to testify to others.
All is not entirely dismal in following the Lord. Jesus recognizes that some people will accept the Word of God. We need not be discouraged. Truly it is God’s work and we are only his instruments. We must be prepared to suffer but we are also encouraged because God will do what He wants with our efforts.
The Letter to the Ephesians, the second reading today, repeats all of this. God has chosen us in Christ Jesus. In the selection for today there is no focus on suffering, only on being chosen by God and called to share in Christ Jesus.
For us, personally, it is a question of recognizing that we are called. We are called by God Himself, not just by our own decisions. We are called to walk with the Lord and to seek His will. We are called to understand something of the divine mystery of salvation and to share that with others. Yes, of course, we will suffer a bit in the process. That suffering is nothing compared to the joy that will be ours.
Let us pray today for this recognition of our calling. Let us pray for one another. May our Father open our hearts and our minds so that we can freely choose to follow His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.