Seek Good Not Evil

Today’s verse before the Gospel is Amos 5:14 that reads “Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the LORD will be with you.” This is from his “First Woe:” Woe to those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground. They hate those who reprove at the gate and abhor those who speak with integrity. Therefore, because you tax the destitute and exact from them levies of grain though you have built houses of hewn stone, you shall not live in them. Though you have planted choice vineyards, you shall not drink their wine. Yes, I know how many are your crimes; how grievous your sins: oppressing the just, accepting bribes, turning away the needy at the gate. (Therefore, at this time the wise are struck dumb for it is an evil time.)

Seek good and not evil that you may live then truly the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you as you claim. Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate. Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph. 

Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: In every square there shall be lamentation, and in every street they shall cry, “Oh, no!” They shall summon the farmers to wail and the professional mourners to lament. And in every vineyard there shall be lamentation when I pass through your midst, says the LORD.

Is Amos speaking to us?  Do we seek good and not evil?  Do we turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground?  Anyone watching the Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearing might wonder about her worm-woody, show-boating Senate critics. 

We all must hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate.  That’s our baptismal commitment many of us have cast aside in the interest of politics and pursuit or retention of power.  Let's pray that in every square there shall not be lamentation, and in every street we will not hear the cry, “Oh, no!”  Lord have mercy on we who are needy at your gate - needy for good and not evil.

Deacon David Pierce