Scripture Study for

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Understanding the Word

By Dianne Bergant, C.S.A.

Amos is told to leave the northern shrine of Bethel. The prophet defends his  call from God and, in doing so, his right and responsibility to prophesy in Israel.  He had not chosen to be a prophet, he had been chosen. He was not the kind  of prophet who enjoyed royal patronage, one who was connected with the court  or with a particular shrine, nor had he belonged to any prophetic guild. He was  a prophet of God, independent of any institution. He insists that he had been  summoned by God to be a prophet and then sent to the people of the northern kingdom. His coming to Bethel was due entirely to the command that he  received from God. 

The reading from Ephesians argues that salvation in Christ is not an after thought; it was in God’s plan from the beginning. Furthermore, the believers were  not chosen because they were holy and blameless, but that they might become holy  and blameless. Salvation is the cause and not the consequence of righteous ness. Through Christ, believers are chosen for adoption into the family of God.  Destined for adoption through Christ, we have been redeemed by his blood. Our  redemption exacted a ransom, for we were being redeemed from sin. The author  insists that all of this was done so that God’s plan would finally be brought to  fulfillment in Christ. 

Jesus prepares the Twelve for their first missionary venture. They are given the  power to drive out unclean spirits, but they can only do this through the authority  of Jesus. They must participate in this mission in a truly self-sacrificing manner.  Jesus prepares them for possible rejection and failure. If this happens they are  to shake the dust of the place from their sandals as a symbolic act of ridding  themselves of any unclean substance that might profane the land of Israel. They  are to preach repentance, drive out demons, and heal the sick. In this way, the  reign of God will be inaugurated.

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