July 20, 2025 ☩ The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
on
Amos 8:1-12; Colossians 1:15-28; & Luke 10:38-42
“Injustice: The Ear Plugs to God’s Voice”
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Amos’ words to Israel are ours to hear today in our own culture. He speaks of a time of inflation, when the ‘ephah’ is made ‘small and the shekel great’ [Amos 8:5], which means the measure is made smaller and the cost made greater. This minor prophet continues his vocalization of justice for the poor. The injustice runs so rampant in Amos’ time that he believes the injustices deafen the people to God’s Word, preventing them from hearing God. [Amos 8:12]
When he was a professor of social ethics at Yale, Willis Jenkins, noted the path to find God’s voice in Amos’ prophecy. He writes: “Thus the prophet’s creative task: to make of the everyday world a sufficient outrage that the words of justice can be heard.” [Jenkins, Willis. Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 3. 2010. Pp 248]. So, only by acknowledging injustice can we more readily hear God. This hinges on the reduction of ‘pride’ that Amos notes in his culture and an increase of humility and compassion. Reversing cultural disposition from being overly proud to recognizing where improvement is needed is difficult, but is the path that centers God in our lives.
Imagine, there are two fountains on either side of the church. We can only walk to one. One fountain, mounted on the wall, requires us to turn ourselves in such a way that while facing the wall and fountain, we cannot see others. This spring fills our wallets and bank accounts. However, like a standard well, it can run dry.
The other fountain does not require us to turn away or turn our backs to those around us. While we take our fill, there are many spouts from which others can also join in receiving the same blessing. This living fountain never runs dry. What it fills is our hearts.
The premise of this imagery connects to Luke 16:13 where it is written that “no slave can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and wealth.” [Luke16:13] In the same way, we cannot stand beneath both fountains. We must choose the better part [cf. a loose connection to Luke 10:42].
Luke’s Gospel reading this morning, challenges how we ready ourselves to get our fill of God’s Word from our Lord. Jesus visits the sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Martha is the first to show hospitality by welcoming Jesus into their home. This is already an improvement from the Samaritan town that chose not to welcome Jesus [cf. Luke 9:51-56] At the onset, we are to believe that Martha is demonstrating the proper example until Martha complains that Mary is not helping with her work. We could presume the work was preparing food for their guest. If so, then Jesus returns the hospitality to Martha and Mary when he indicates that Mary chose ‘the better part’ by listening and being fed by the Word of God that Jesus shared with them. [Luke 10:42]
Even in our kindness, the Gospel reminds us, that we can get caught up in our ‘many tasks’ [cf. Luke 10:40] and our desire to accomplish more. Amidst the never-ending to-do lists of life, we must never forget to simply sit and be fully present with one another. Jesus recognizes both women as doing good things, but Mary, in listening to Jesus, chose the ‘better part.’ [Luke 10:42]
May we find ways to step away from the fountains that fill parts of us which never satisfy and prevent us from being with one another. May we embrace hospitality in its essential form, remembering the best part is not in what we produce or accomplish, but in how we remain with one another. Be not the slave to pride and vainglory. Rather, run with endurance to the fount of living sustenance, to the Word of our God Incarnate. Take your fill, because this fount is abundant and pours out for all so we may fully know the Word of God [cf. Colossians 1:25] and the richness of the mystery that is Christ within each of us [cf. Colossians 1:27] – The Gospel in our minds and the redeeming grace of our Messiah in our hearts. Let us reorient ourselves to justice and Jesus’ redeeming work on the Cross so we may remove that which hinders us from more clearly hearing God’s voice. Take pause, fully hear, and embrace the Word of God spoken into your hearts each and every day.
Amen.
