Reflections on: AMos 9:11-15/ Matthew 9:14-17
By Frank Savadera, SJ
I
begin my reflection with the prophet Amos’ promises and images of a RESTORED
LAND ... the rebuilding of once ruined cities ... a restored people of Israel. Amos uses quite a graphic description: The juice of grapes dripping down the
mountains and the hills running with it; a time to plant vineyards and drink
wine ... to set out gardens and eat fruits.
Amos talks about PERMANENCE: I
will plant them upon their own ground and never again shall they be plucked from
the land I have given them. Amos’
promise may well be his promise to us.
How is it like for you and me to be RESTORED and REBUILT? How is like for you and me to feel greatly
enriched and teem with abundance ( a la grape juice flowing from the
hills)? How is it like for you and me to
finally settle and be grounded on rich soil from which we will never be plucked
out again?
Believe
me if I say that our lives are marked with the processes of RESTORING,
REBUILDING and even FORTIFYING the character and the human persons that we
are. Isn’t it true ... as you may
already be learning by now ... it takes a PECULIAR STRENGTH OF CHARACTER to
survive communities like ours. BAWAL ANG
PIKON. ANG PIKON AY LAGING TALO. Here ... your worst enemy is yourself! Self-pity ...
guilt ... low self-confidence?
We are asked to see how our characters are being strengthened and
fortified.
Also
... each context is a place where we are asked to SETTLE ... to CHILL and RELAX
... and be OURSELVES ... so we may plant our own vineyards and reap and eat the
fruits ... to discover our talents and giftedness ... and find JOY knowing that
I am good at something. Again, isn’t
this about GROUNDING ourselves ... finding out where we excel and settling
there ... and developing our giftedness ever more ... to SETTLE ... to CHILL
and RELAX ... and be AT HOME WITH OURSELVES.
Jesus in the Gospel, advises us that there is a TIME FOR EVERYTHING. There is SACREDNESS to TIME. God even entered into our time ... this time
... to let us know the VALUE of EACH MOMENT.
Jesus tells us to discern always what activity is fitting or appropriate
for the current time. “Can the wedding
guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” Part of our being restored and strengthened
is valuing the SACREDNESS of BEING HERE with the BRIDEGROOM ... a greater
SENSITIVITY to his presence.
Further, RESTORING is NOT SIMPLY PATCHING ... or
SEEKING SIMPLY TEMPORARY and SHORT-TERM
solutions to our many concerns.
Sometimes ... it is true that when we troubleshoot ... or repair an
appliance ... we may seek the easiest or cheapest solutions to things ... only
to learn that after a few days ... SIRA NA NAMAN. “No one patches an old cloak with a piece of
unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets
worse.” Always, we are asked
to look deep into ourselves and focus on a life direction that is not only for
tomorrow or next week. How do I make
long term decisions for myself that may meaningfully impact the direction of my
life.
Lastly,
RESTORING and strengthening may mean for some COMPLETELY OVERHAULING /
RE-ORIENTING our OLD and WORN OUT PERSPECTIVES. “People do not put new wine into old
wineskins.” In the course of our lives, we discover that we may even need to empty our minds and hearts that they
may eventually contain and hold new understanding and new perspectives of things.
As Amos provides us an image of a RESTORED and FORTIFIED land ...
we ask as well how our everyday experiences BUILD and STRENGTHEN our
characters as persons.
Tips are offered us: Be
strengthened by recognizing the SACREDNESS OF TIME ... developing a sensitivity
to God’s presence;
Look
deep into ourselves ... face our REAL SELVES and decide based on possible LONG
TERM directions I may take ... versus SHORT TERM and easy-way-out solutions.
Lastly, be conscious of how we are also called to sometimes
totally overhaul our old and worn out perspectives so that we may fully receive
a new and better understanding of things around us.
