By Monsignor Gregory E.S. Malovetz - priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ and pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Montgomery Township, NJ (read in a Magnificat publication):
Sr. Mary Roberta Viano, VHM
Profile of Amos
A résumé can only give you a small glimpse into a person's abilities and talents. If he had to write a résumé, Amos would have included shepherd, herdsman, and sycamore fig farmer. In considering him for the job of prophet, we might have discarded his resume'. But God sees something in him that will make Amos a compelling prophet.
Living in the eighth century BC, Amos' jobs have given him a keen glimpse into the disparity between the rich and the poor. God sends him to the northern kingdom of Israel where the increase of wealth is matched with a decline of religious faith and indifference to the poor. Amos, without any special training and relying only on the power of God, finds his voice. He is not the kind of prophet who uses poetic words and beautiful images. Amos is blunt as he insists those who follow God must be people of justice. Prayers and rituals are meaningless if they do not lead to service. It is believed that his career as prophet lasted less than a year, yet Amos' voice still challenges us today. No special skills are needed to work for justice, only a heart that sees God in every human need.
Sr. Mary Roberta Viano, VHM
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