15th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle B

This is the time of year where many parishes receive new priests or pastors or administrators.  By way of trying to get to know these priests, we will often ask how they came by their calling.  We like to imagine some kind of Heavenly voice calling out to them like God calling Moses from the burning bush.  But that’s not always the case.  Nor is it the case that only these special people are being called.  We too are called by God to be a part of his church, yet we too easily assume our calling is not anything special.  We so easily say “I’m no saint” without recognizing that many of our most beloved saints have past experiences far worse than anything we may have done in our lives.  Our readings this week give us some stories about their calling by God:

The Word for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Amos 7:12-15
Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
Ephesians 1:3-14 or 1:3-10
Mark 6:7-13

Our first reading is from the Book of Amos.  Amos is that fiery prophet from the middle period of the Northern Kingdom, preaching divine judgment with his sweeping indictments.  At this time the City of Bethel is the cultural center of the Northern Kingdom and in this week’s passage the priest Amaziah, has heard enough and expels him from the shrine.  It is here that Amos explains that he is not a prophet just a simple shepherd and dresser of sycamores before God called him.  Just as Amaziah is loath to hear what Amos has to say, Amos himself is loath to accept the title of prophet.  For both parties the truth hurts.  Amos, though he says he’s not a prophet, clearly is.  Amaziah, though he is a priest, clearly is not hearing the Lord.  Amos, compelled by God’s call, must speak out.  Our Psalm reflects what Amos hopes for – that we will hear what God proclaims.

Our Gospel from Mark continues from where we left off last week.  After having failed in his mission in Nazareth, Jesus now gathers his Apostles and charges them to go out into the community.  Going out in pairs, they are told to preach repentance, to drive out demons and to heal the sick, but as the go they are to bring nothing with them.  In a passage that St. Francis took to heart, the Apostles travel with only a walking stick and their sandals.  No food, no money, not even an extra cloak.  The Apostles that Jesus himself has called are now being sent out on a mission, a trial run of their call to action.

Our second reading begins our seven-week study of St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  This week’s passage starts with the opening of his letter – his greeting to the people of Ephesus.  He opens by reminding them that they are chosen; a people blessed by God and who have been redeemed by Christ, and for this we give praise.

Final Thoughts:
We hear stories like this about the prophets and the Apostles and recognize how unique their calling was to serve the Lord.  At the same time, we ourselves to easily dismiss the notion that we too have been called by God.  We too have been chosen.  We too are members of the Body of Christ and have our own unique role to play.  But are we hearing that call?  Do we take the time to listen to what God might be saying to us?  We can take a lesson from our readings this week.  Like Amos, like the Apostles, like St. Paul, we all have difficulty, but if we put our faith in God, like they did, we will also, like them, see salvation.