Persons with commitment and integrity are needed to deliver the vital message of God to the people and their leaders regarding their covenant with Him (Amos 7:12-15). Empowered by the Lord, these emissaries are sent forth without entourage and provisions to announce to all the good news of salvation (Mark 6:7-13).

A country bumpkin

Amos was a shepherd from the southern kingdom of Judah, who seasonally would travel down from the hills to make additional earnings as a dresser of sycamore figs. He was not in any way associated with leaders of organized religion and a rather unlikely prospect for the role of prophet. But he dared to go up to Bethel, a royal shrine and the king’s palace in the northern kingdom of Israel, to do there his task as a prophet sent by God to the people.

Amaziah, the priest of the shrine at Bethel, an official employee of the crown, found it intolerable that Amos should be there at all prophesying. He called Amos a seer or a visionary, thus recognizing some special personal gifts Amos might have demonstrated. But he did not call him a prophet, someone attached to the court or a shrine and serving by prophesying ordinarily prosperity for the king and the people and calamity for their enemies. Amaziah directed Amos to go back south where he belonged and earn his living there by his prophesying. Amos was clearly not welcome at the royal sanctuary of Bethel, as an independent visionary warning of divine retribution for the sins of all, even the king.

Loyal only to God

It was during the reign of Uzziah in Judah and when Jeroboam II was king in Israel that Amos was conscripted by God and charged with the prophetic mandate. He did not choose the job; he was chosen. Amos’s refusal to be designated a prophet—“I am not a prophet, and I am not a prophet’s disciple”—simply means that he was not a professional prophet, who may be hired for his services and so bought, say, by the king. God took him away from his rustic job to perform this particular task, and he had no choice but to prophesy. He had to announce that the king would die by the sword and Israel exiled from its soil—for their sins. No wonder Amaziah thought him treasonous.

Amos was only obeying God, and he did not feel he should abide by the goodwill of the king. He was not on the royal payroll, and so he could not be depended upon to conform to the royal wishes. According to his critics, he was demoralizing the public. And the priest his antagonist was pressing him to flee at once, lest he be harmed. Opportune or not, welcome or not, he was sent by God, and he had a job to do, and he was determined to carry it out, allowing nothing to stop him from delivering God’s message to Israel.

Self-sacrificing missionaries

Participating in the mission of Jesus in words and deeds, the Twelve were sent forth with the authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal the sick, and to preach repentance. The message of salvation accompanied by the wonders of exorcism and healing means the victory of God’s power over the bonds of evil in the world. The Twelve were brought into the unthinkable task of establishing the reign of God. They were summoned, commissioned, empowered and sent.

The explicit instructions to take only sandals and a stick to be able to walk where the people were, but no extra clothing or food or money to provide for their comfort, indicate that their initiation into the mission of Jesus demands self-sacrifice on their part. Relying on the hospitality of others, they must stay in the first house that receives them and not seek any greater convenience. And with as much clarity, they were to be prepared for possible failure and rejection by the people. Not to be discouraged, the obstinacy of those who would not receive their message should be symbolically identified and rid of by the shaking of the dust off their sandals.

Alálaong bagá, as we consider since last week the prophetic mission entrusted by God to mere humans, now we understand that we are the ones in our time to continue the ministry. Ordinary people are conferred extraordinary responsibility to be God’s voice and messenger of truth and peace in the world. Rustic like Amos, rough like the fishermen of Galilee, and non-celebrities like the first disciples, today’s farmers and factory workers, clerks and vendors, housekeepers and professionals are being summoned and empowered in their Christian faith to be bearers of God’s word and life to one another and to the world. The lay, all of us, have to allow the power of Christ to take possession of us and be involved in the transformation of our society, so that real peace and unity can materialize. Against all self-doubts at our inadequacies and fear of rejection, we are sent by Christ to bring healing where there is so much pain, freedom from the power of demons, and the light of truth deep into the realm of darkness.

For more of my reflections and works, visit my blogsite: http://alalaongbaga.multiply.com.