Readings: Amos 7, 12-15; Psalm 85, Lord, let us see Your Kindness and grant us Your Salvation; Ephesians, 1, 3-14; Mark 6, 7-13
Amos:
Author: Amos or his scribe. He was a shepherd of sheep & tended sycamore trees. One of the 12 minor prophets of the OT, minor because of smallness of the works. Amos has only 9 chapters. Usual pattern of prophets: 1. predictions of dire times for evil behavior; 2. predictions of better times in the future.
Date: Ca. 777 (a memory help), after the kingships of David & Solomon, time of King Jeroboam of the northern kingdom, called Israel vs the southern kingdom, called Judah (where Jerusalem is).
Geography: Note the two kingdoms, Judah in the south, Israel in the north. Amos tended sheep in a little town called Tekoa, 10 miles south of Jerusalem, in Judah, the south. He is sent by Yahweh to Bethel, a small but important town in the northern kingdom, 10 miles north of Jerusalem, to warn the people of Israel & their king Jeroboam that Yahweh was mad at them. The wicked high priest of Bethel, Amaziah condemns Amos for his interference.
The Setting: a time of prosperity. But Yahweh is mad at the greed of the wealthy and their oppression of the poor (which ties into our gospel talking about walking lightly through life). We know the people of this kingdom of Israel are headed for annihilation by the Assyrian nation. And they will disappear as a significant body.
Our Selection, chapter 7: (reading all of chapter 7) Amos describes three visions or dreams he has. Amaziah gives it to him for spreading these visions around. Then, Amos responds and socks it to Amaziah with a hammer.
Mark: a couple of reminders–
1. Mark is the first of the 4 gospels written, ca 70 C.E. Note: Jerusalem & the Temple were smashed by the Romans in 70, after a Jewish rebellion. In 73 the famous Masada battle took place. More about this event another day. Just think, from this date until 1948 a Jewish state did not exist.
2. The first written documents were by Paul, his letters.
Sources: Grace Institute of Biblical Leadership; Catholic Encyclopedia; Wikipedia
Traveling Light through Life
A couple of weeks ago I called this guy from the city of Dallas. The city provides a special service for people with lawn sprinkler systems. They come out, check it, and offer recommendations for how to make it more efficient. One of our neighbors told me about the service and I thought, "Why not?"
So I get our system as efficient as I think possible, fix all the heads so they are not watering the street, have the grass all clipped, and invite the man out. He comes in a fancy painted up little car and turns out to be a great guy, very affirming.
He checks each of our three zones, notes how everything is working well, compliments me on how everything functions, gives me a print out, and departs. I am feeling pretty great because I got into this sprinkler business a number of years ago when I found out how expensive even just a visit from a professional is. I discovered that sprinkler systems are basically like Lego toys.
So I take the print out and am scanning it. I see that he has noted the amount of water one zone puts out per minute. I had seen him out at the curb checking the meter. I read the amount, then read it again unable to believe that it can be correct.
The paper says one zone uses 100 gallons per minute. There must be a mistake. I add it up. I usually run a zone for 10 minutes. That is 1000 gallons of water. I got 3 zones, so I am watering my St. Augustine for 30 minutes. 3000 gallons every time I water! I want to throw up.
Making it worse, I had just read an on line info about water shortages coming. Like El Paso and San Antonio are running out of water. I am scrupling over using a toilet that consumes 3 gallons. And here I am watering a our precious St. Augustine with 3000 gallons.
I was reminded of this when I read this passage from Mark, part of which I have liked for years. Where he says, "Take nothing for the journey." Two thoughts.
First, this is obvious exaggeration, hyperbole, the old spiritual principle of infinite demand plus infinite acceptance. If I had taken nothing for the journey on any one of the trips I took by motorcycle in Tanzania, you would not be stuck listening to me here today. I've talked in past years about taking a journey or two where I did not travel prepared, like when the train broke down & was out nowhere for about 48 hours. And I had not even brought water.
Second, I take this word journey as symbolic. It could mean a trip we take to Houston or Europe. For me, however it means the journey of life. It is a challenge to walk lightly through the journey of life. It means minimize stuff and toys. It means travel free, be free.
By nature I am pretty comfortable with traveling light through life. I did it for years in in East Africa. Living as a Jesuit with a vow of poverty, which shamed me, also sharpened my sensitivity to simplicity.
Yet here I am faced with watering St. Augustine with 3000 gallons of water. This is going to be hard to simplify. Even normally I only water 2 times per week. Now I want to water once a week. I got to look at zero landscaping. Achieving simplicity & freedom on this is going to be difficult
There is a cynical saying going around that he wins who has at the end the most toys. Delusion! He with the most toys is probably the most trapped. In the Jesuits we had an image we used sometimes, the monkey & the banana. The banana is in a cage. The monkey holds it but can't get his hand out while he holds it. Stuff can be our banana. Jesus says, "You want to be free? Travel light." I'm wondering if my St. Augustine is my banana.
What is your banana? Your St. Augustine?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-07-12.mp3
Picture 1: Beginning Mass with Lorynne & T.J.
Picture 2: Anthony & Sabrina
Picture 3: Maggie
Picture 4: Chloe with her mom, Clair