13th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, July 2nd

 13th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, July 2nd

Amos 9:11-15 / Matthew 9:14-17

Amos holds out hope to Israel; God said, "I will rescue my people."

 If we refuse to breathe, the air doesn't punish or suffocate us. We punish or suffocate ourselves. If we beat our fist against a brick wall, the brick wall doesn't punish our fist by making it bleed. We punish or bloody it ourselves. This may help us understand better the situation between Israel and God.

 In a real sense, when Israel refused to obey God's Law, it was Israel who punished herself, not God. Israel's punishment was the natural result of her sinfulness. But in spite of Israel's foolishness, God promised not to desert Israel. He would still save her, if she would let him.

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Recall a pain that we brought on ourselves by our own refusal to do what was right. "We cannot break God's commandments; we can only break ourselves against them." Author unknown

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It goes without saying that the quality of the agricultural produce of the land depends very much on the weather. Yet another fundamental factor is also the stability of the land, i.e. the political and social condition of the people living on that land.

 

If there were wars and bloodshed and unrest, would we expect the land to bear quality produce even if the land was fertile? And if grapes were planted during a time of turmoil and distress, what would be harvested could be sour grapes that are neither edible nor suitable for winemaking.

In the 1st reading, the planting and the harvesting of grapes were in the background of a land that was restored and the people were at peace. Yet, it must be remembered that the rich harvest of grapes, the sweet taste of wine and the joy it brings to a people at peace was the work of God who restored the land and blessed the people. 

In the gospel, Jesus also talked about wine and wineskins, and He said that no one puts new wine into old wineskins. It may simply mean that the new wine of restoration and blessing cannot be put into the old wineskins of turmoil and distress that comes from unfaithfulness to the Lord. By now we should know the dire consequences of being complacent and being unfaithful to the Lord. 

Yet, as much as the Lord is merciful and restores us and blesses us so that we can have peace in our lives, may we also prepare new wineskins for our hearts so as to receive and treasure God's blessings.

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Prayer: Lord our God, we are your people on the march, moving forward to you with your Son who came to make everything new. Dispose of us, Lord, to accept the pain of leaving the familiar behind us. Uproot us from our established ways and guide our faltering steps toward your new future in Jesus Christ, your Son, and our Lord forever. Amen