Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)
September 25, 2016 7:00 am · Father Dan Vanyo
We heard in the first reading from Amos, as the fat Israelites, opulent ones, you can picture them barely moving. It's all about pleasure and convenience. Don't lift, or make an effort. Selling their kinsman for a pair of sandals. And the line, "they devise their own accompaniment". It's in the context of the music. They come up with their own song.
People want to do their own thing, It's an inclination we all have. People also, another inclination, is they wish that others would think just as they do. It is difficult for the Catholics, because we just can't do that. We can't act as a man who would say, "I am beholden to none". Because we are beholden to God and we are commanded to love God and neighbor. So we have it more difficult. Or rather better worded, we have a more difficult time because we have to really take that seriously and then balance that out.
