Day 178: Called Back

2 Kings 10:1-36 In this particularly bloody chapter, Jehu and his men killed the entire families of both slain kings. Jehu invited all Baal worshipers to a great feast, only to slay all those who came to participate, and then toppled the pagan pillars that had survived the reigns of several predecessors. Although Jehu mounted a vigorous and successful campaign, he did not reform the unfaithful practices instituted by Jeroboam that consisted of mixing worship of God with idolatry of the golden calves. Because Jehu was better than most Kings of Israel, God allowed his dynasty to last four generations.


The Book of Amos

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Amos 1:1 This book consists of a series of prophecies of condemnation against various nations-including Israel-followed by visions of punishments leveled against the people of Israel if they would remain unrepentant. Lastly, these predictions included a promise of healing and restoration following their exile. Amos was called by God from the Southern Kingdom of Judah to preach to the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the eighth century BC.


Ch 2:1-16 Inspired by God, Moab and Judah are rebuked on account of their sins. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was especially reproached for its neglect of the poor, disregard for the prophets, and their practice of pagan idolatry.


Ch 2:6-8 Exploitation of people, especially the poor, was frequently condemned by Amos and the rest of the Old Testament prophets. Poverty and oppression of the poor strongly demonstrate the presence of sin since everyone is meant to have a share in the goods of the earth. This concept of Christian stewardship, which hinges in part on the “universal destination of goods,” means that God intended for every person to benefit from the created world so as to have the means to lead a dignified life. Amos declared that the king had incurred divine punishment for failing to promote justice for every individual in his realm. (CCC 2401, 2403)


Ch 3:1-15 God’s relationship with Israel was compared to a father-child relationship. His punishment, though severe, was the discipline of one who loves and forms a child. As God’s prophet, Amos spoke the Word of God. (CCC 2223)


Ch 3:12 Amid tribulation, God promised to save a remnant of the people of Israel, who would renew their fidelity to his covenant. Two sets of prophetic voices emerged in ancient Israel, one prophesying the coming of the Messiah (e.g., Isaiah), and the other prophesying a new outpouring of the spirit of God (e.g., Amos, Joel). The remnant of Israel would see the realization of both prophecies. (CCC 710-711, 1081)


Psalm 110 This psalm is quoted often in the New Testament, first by Christ and later by Peter and Paul, to indicate that the Messiah would be greater than David since he would be God himself: if “the Lord” gives a command to “my Lord,” the latter is another entity greater than David himself, who was king. Writing in the fourth and fifth centuries, St. Maximus of Turin found significance in the reference to the “footstool”: to be offered a footstool is a mark of honor, and here the honoree is Christ; furthermore, the teaching that he sits at the right hand of the Father signifies that Christ, in his divinity, is equal in dignity to and consubstantial with the Father. This prophetic psalm clearly indicates that this special descendant of David would sit at God’s right hand. He would also institute a new priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek. The priesthood of Christ is a perfect priesthood since both the priest and victim are Son of God made man, who effectively reconciles the world to the Father through his Passion and Death on the Cross. (Cf. St. John Paul II, General Audiences, November 24, 2003, and August 18, 2004)


This psalm is prayed at Mass on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Year C, since it is Christ the priest who offers his own Body and Blood in his Sacrifice for us. (CCC 659, 1536-1537)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise. Gosh, Lord, thank you for your Word. Thank you for calling us back to yourself. Thank you for the voices and the words of the prophets that you inspire by your Holy Spirit to call the people of Israel, the people of Judah, and the people of all the nations back to your heart. Lord God, you call us back too. Help us to hear the words of the Prophet Amos and all the words of your Scriptures that call us back, that are your logic of love, that you give us so much and you expect so much from us. You expect us to be faithful to you when you are so faithful to us. You expect us to love you in return when you have given us so much love. Lord God, help us to repent to you before it is too late. Help us to turn to you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. Help us to love you with everything we are and everything we have. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”