Today's Sunday readings seem to suggest reflection on a specific word: election. Yes, each reading tells us that God has chosen us. But to try to understand better I looked up the meaning of this word, “choose: pick out or select (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives.” I believe that with this definition the intention behind a choice that God has made is revealed.
When in today's first reading (Am 7, 12-15) the prophet Amos is confronted by those who see in him a threat to themselves and insist on banishing him, his presence is not welcome, among other things because Amos has spoken on behalf of God remembering the infidelities of the people. Amos knows how to answer about himself, since he is not a prophet as traditionally presented. He knows that God has called him, and has chosen him to give him the mission. This mission will lead Amos to renounce his routine and comfort, and exposes him to danger for acting according to God's will. This choice that we mention is the same choice that Saint Paul clearly explains in the letter to the Ephesians (Eph 1:3-14) when he says that “God has chosen us in Christ, so that we would be holy and blameless before him… ” Definitely every choice that God makes about people involves two things; the first, God has looked at us with mercy, and calls us not for merit but for love; and the second, God calls us to fulfill a specific mission.
The mission is the purpose of the calling. In today's Gospel (Mk 6:7-13) it is clear how Jesus, when choosing only twelve of them from among the disciples, to make them the apostles, called them because he preferred them over the rest to act a specific mission, a mission for which they will be prepared by Jesus himself. Let us not forget that if God calls us and assigns us the mission, he will also give the necessary means so that the mission can be accomplished, although it seems that in the gospel it is urged not to go too prepared with things, since everything will be provided thanks to generosity of those who understand the message of salvation that will be announced.
Fr. Carlos Flores, OSA
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