First reading Amos 5:14-15,21-24
Seek good and not evil so that you may live
Seek good and not evil
so that you may live,
and that the Lord, God of Hosts, may really be with you
as you claim he is.
Hate evil, love good,
maintain justice at the city gate,
and it may be that the Lord, God of Hosts, will take pity
on the remnant of Joseph.
I hate and despise your feasts,
I take no pleasure in your solemn festivals.
When you offer me holocausts,
I reject your oblations,
and refuse to look at your sacrifices of fattened cattle.
Let me have no more of the din of your chanting,
no more of your strumming on harps.
But let justice flow like water,
and integrity like an unfailing stream.
Responsorial Psalm 49(50):7-13,16-17
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘Listen, my people, I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you,
for I am God, your God.
I accuse you, lay the charge before you.
‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.
‘I own all the beasts of the forest,
beasts in their thousands on my hills.
I know all the birds in the sky,
all that moves in the field belongs to me.
‘Were I hungry, I would not tell you,
for I own the world and all it holds.
Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
‘How can you recite my commandments
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law
and throw my words to the winds?’
Gospel Matthew 8:28-34
The Gadarene swine
When Jesus reached the country of the Gadarenes on the other side of the lake, two demoniacs came towards him out of the tombs – creatures so fierce that no one could pass that way. They stood there shouting, ‘What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?’ Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, ‘If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’ And he said to them, ‘Go then’, and they came out and made for the pigs; and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off and made for the town, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs. At this the whole town set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave the neighbourhood.
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Seek good
In the first reading, God says, “Seek good and not evil, so that you may live…I hate and despise your feasts, I take no pleasure in your solemn festivals…Let me have no more of the din of your chanting, no more of your strumming on harps. But let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream.” Let us take these words to heart and reflect on how we express our love for God. He does not desire empty gestures of songs, offerings and festivals. What he truly wants is for our worship and prayers to be accompanied by lives of justice and honesty. If we say we truly love God, it must be evident in the way we treat those around us, especially the poor and the vulnerable.
In the Gospel, Jesus heals two men who seem to be possessed. However, the townspeople ask Him to leave because they are more upset about losing their pigs and their financial losses than by the healing of human lives. Today, we are invited to “seek good” by following the example of Jesus, who places human lives and dignity above personal security, habits and profits.
Reflective question:
In what areas of my life do I ask Jesus to “go away” because following His way of justice and love would mean stepping out of my comfort zone of my security, habits, and routine?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
