The Reverend Canon Michael D. H. Farr, B.A. Lth., Grand Prior

Amos 9:1-10; Psalm 37:1-18; Matthew 23:13-26

Our first reading today is from the book of the prophet Amos who lived in the eighth Century B.C.E. and was the first prophet to the Hebrews to be written down. Amos was not a prophet nor was he the son of a prophet who made a living at prophecy. He was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees (a type of fig tree). In other words Amos was an ordinary man whom God chose to deliver His message to the people of Israel.

It appeared in those days that the people of Israel became more interested in Temple ceremony than actually worshipping God and because of this fact had lost sight of what they were supposed to do. As God’s people they were supposed to look after those who were unable to look after themselves. They were supposed to show justice and mercy to all and to look after strangers who came into their land. Now Amos was from the Kingdom of Judah and when he showed up in the Kingdom of Israel with God’s message, he was not well received. Judah and Israel were separate kingdoms at this point in history.

Amos is famous for five visions he had about Israel. The first was a plaque of locusts eating all vegetation and the second a plaque of a shower of fire burning up all the land. At both of these visions Amos pleaded with God not to send them as Israel was so small and God relented. The third vision was of a plumb line (some may remember this one), a plumb line beside a perpendicular wall which had been built by it, and God says to Amos that this perpendicular line is the standard and Israel does not meet the standard and all sinners will be killed. The four vision is a basket of summer fruit which implied that the harvest was over and God would not pass Israel by and all the sinners would be killed.

Similarly in the reading today (5th vision) God says that all shall be killed (read Amos 9:1). The people had forgotten that the worship of God imposed on them an obligation, to not only make sure the ceremonies were done correctly but also to follow the teachings of their God. Being God’s people brings both privilege and responsibility. The responsibility of showing justice and mercy to all, to look after those who could not look after themselves and to welcome strangers.

Almost 3000 years later we have to ask ourselves if we have learned God’s lessons. Is there justice and mercy for those who cannot pay for the best lawyers? Do we provide the poor with good housing and good food? Do we provide for those who are unable to look after themselves? I will try not to be cynical BUT what seems to happen so often is that a Religious Group or a Grand Lodge will address some of these situations and then the government seeing that it is good work, will take it over and then in a recession will cut the program and we are back to square one.

Or do we become more interested in good worship services or perfect ritual at Lodge meetings, than doing God’s works here on earth? Offering the best worship we are able is important. Being God’s faithful people also brings responsibility with that privilege. We as Scottish Rite Masons have made a good start with our Learning Centers, teaching dyslexic children in Canada and in the Northern Jurisdiction and the Southern Jurisdiction treating many learning disabilities. Privilege brings responsibility.

Now those of you who have been to the last few Vesper Services since I became Grand Prior will remember that I usually look for some good news in the Scripture Passages read today. It was not easy, for Amos says you can hide from God in the depths of Hell, or on the top of Mount Carmel, but God will find you and kill all the sinners. Yet there is a phrase that seems to have escaped the notice of the scholars who comment on scripture. This phrase is found in verse seven today. “Are you not like the Ethiopians to me, O people of Israel? says the Lord. ”(Amos 9:7aN.R.S.V.) Hold on here, is God saying to the people of Israel that they are the same as those tall, handsome, black people from Northern Africa? At this time in History gods were seen as locals. Not unlike the county sheriffs we see in movies who slam on their brakes at the county border as the bad guys escape. Gods were viewed as having influence only on a particular nation. And here we find the God of Israel referring to the Ethiopians. Could this mean that God’s authority extended everywhere? Could this mean that God has no favourites? Maybe Amos was the first Universalist? People of faith in God are God’s chosen people who have privileges and also responsibility.

In this day and age of immigration controversy, when we in Canada hear of a ship full of refugees arriving on our west coast and hear them described as Shi Lankins or Tamales and not people, when suspected Terrorists, citizens of Canada, are described as ‘mid-eastern’ and not people, are arrested in Ottawa and London, when we hear of religious absolutism (I was struggling for an example when a Pastor in Gainsborough Florida hit the news ,threatening to burn Korans) which means to me that if I am not a full member of your group I am seen as less of a person, then Amos has some sobering words for us. Amos says to us “You are not different than any other of God’s people”.

The good news is that God loves us. God says I love your enemies also and if you don’t love your enemies, you are no friend of mine. As people of faith in God we are privileged to live in God’s Kingdom. As people of Faith we have responsibilities.

We are to show justice and mercy to all. We are to welcome strangers. We are to look after people unable to look after themselves. And we are to love our enemies as God loves both them and us.

AMEN