A friend of mine who lived in Ireland for several years told me something interesting. He said that from time to time Irish newspapers publish a list of wills. The name and occupation of the deceased is followed by a figure showing the value of the estate left behind. As you can imagine, this attracts the attention of most people who are sometimes astonished to see how much or how little a person’s estate is valued at. Invariably, a priest who has died will also be added to the list and it’s interesting to note that some clergy really live well and leave estates that might rival the holdings of prominent business people. In Ireland, the priest has traditionally occupied a somewhat dominant position in society and this is evidenced by the fortune that many had amassed over their years.
But that’s not simply the case with the Irish clergy. In this country, priests and bishops are often able to accumulate sizeable wealth and material possessions. For instance, there was a time when I worked as Chancellor in our own diocese. Part of my duty was to act as an executor of some priests wills. I was often surprised to note how large a priest’s holdings could be. Some left estates valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. I would often wonder just how the priest got that wealthy. Either he was being paid too much or I was not being paid enough.
Sadly, there are instances where clergy, like people from other walks of life, become immersed in a life of excess—not exactly a positive example of the Gospel. From time to time we hear of priests who have vacation homes, drive expensive cars. Those who live more comfortably than their parishioners; those who can be found dining, regularly, in the finest restaurants; the one who owns a wardrobe that would make Macy’s blush. You know, I have learned that parishioners will tolerate many things on the part of their priest. They can understand and forgive the priest who drinks too much. They can almost feel pity for the priest who is charmed by the opposite sex. But the harshest criticism is reserved for the money-grasping priest. Such excesses are not simply confined to people in ministry. But we have to admit that it is of real concern when ministers who are to emulate the example of Jesus live in opulence. Something is not quite right.
In the first reading, we hear about the prophet Amos, who is being attacked, verbally, by the king of Israel. Amos was a simple vine-dresser from the south who was called by God to preach repentance to the northern kingdom. Amos was reluctant to embrace this calling. He knew what kind of reception he would receive from the people. But he was obedient and he went to do what the Lord had asked of him.
When he arrived in Israel, he was shocked to see the state of Israel’s society. The poor were numerous— living on the streets— mistreated and, worse, ignored. The rich, too, were numerous, living in fine homes, wearing the best clothing, eating the best food, reclining on their sofas and drinking wine from bowls as Amos reports. Amos was infuriated by what he saw: the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. In particular, he was taken aback by the royalty and the priestly class of people who were living like royalty. So, Amos unleashes a prophetic diatribe against the people. He lashes out against the greedy rich of society who take advantage of the poor; he accuses the rich merchants who gouge the consumer; he mocks the religious practices of the pious who make a show of their religion while failing to act justly towards the poor in their midst. Finally, he prophecies destruction on Israel. In very biting words, he tells them that God will wipe them off the face of the earth. They will be overrun by their enemies and they shall languish as slaves of another empire.
When word got to King Amaziah, about Amos’ prophecies, the king went out to meet him and told him as we hear in today’s first reading, “Off with you, visionary! Earn your money by prophesying somewhere else!” Amos answers the king telling him, “I am not a prophet by choice. I was a shepherd and dresser of vines when the Lord called me.” In other words, Amos is saying that this is not something he does for a living. He is simply a messenger who is giving voice to God’s concern. Amos does end up leaving Israel and returning to his own country. But, in time, his prophecy comes to be fulfilled as the northern kingdom of Israel is defeated and falls to the Assyrian Empire. Why did this judgment befall Israel? Because the people had failed to practice justice, especially with regard to the poor.
We are a people who believe that God listens to the cry of the poor. This is what all the great prophets have indicated and even Jesus himself seemed to have a special preference for the plight of the poor. This should concern us. Not because there are poor people in our midst, but because there is every indication in the Scriptures that we will be held accountable for what we have not done for the poor. And it is not going to be possible for us to use the excuse that we don’t know poor people. We are bombarded by the media with harrowing accounts of grinding poverty in Mexico, Haiti, the Sudan, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh just to name a few countries. And we are painfully aware that each of our cities has its numbers living below the poverty line where finding food, work, shelter and health care are pretty much nil. And we are all aware of poverty’s effects on our population: the plague of crime and drugs and violence. Poverty is the breeding ground for criminal behavior. And even though our society is moved, from time to time, to declare a War on Poverty, we must admit that our efforts have always been half-hearted and, therefore, they ultimately fail.
But beyond the presence of the poor in our midst, lies another issue. That is, the excessive lifestyle that many others enjoy. Regardless of the economic philosophy you may embrace, we cannot but admit that our society is largely based on the success of living excessively. We see an unrestrained pursuit of material well-being. And that excess shows little sign of leveling off. Western society is guilty of gluttony on many levels: consumption of oil, food, and the world’s resources continues to increase each year. Instead of downsizing our lifestyle when we hear about the crisis of others, we super-size—an indication that we haven’t understood the connection that the Prophet Amos saw between the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Amos understood that as long as some lived in excess; many would live without. Some economists will tell us that as long as the First World fails to simplify its lifestyle, the Third World will continue to be ravaged. As long as some live in an unrestrained way, many others will live with forced restraints. But this is not an economic or political issue. It is a moral issue.
The fact is, if the Christian West wishes to preach the Gospel and transform the world from hatred into love; from vengeance to forgiveness; from violence to peace, then it badly needs to give a more authentic witness to that Gospel. If we want to establish a kingdom of justice, then we must begin to understand what Jesus means when he says, “Blessed are the poor.” We must accept the reality that God has consistently shown a preference for the poor—and that there is a consistent warning issued to those who bask in materialism and greed. How difficult it will be for the rich to inherit the Kingdom.
When Jesus was instructing his disciples, as we hear in today’s Gospel, to go out and preach the good news to the surrounding areas, his very first words to them were, “Take nothing with you.” He did this for various reasons. First, there is urgency in proclaiming Gospel. The disciples could not be weighed down like some people lugging multiple suitcases when going on a trip. They needed to move quickly and freely. Secondly, the disciples were to give an example of their own dependence on God and others. In taking nothing more than sandals and a walking stick, the disciples must learn to rely on the hospitality of others.
Perhaps we need to learn how to travel lightly through this life. It might be good for us to experience what it is like receiving hospitality from others and being on the receiving end of charity or simply going without once in awhile. The more we try to take with us, the less credible our message and example. The lighter we travel, the easier it will be to extend our hand towards someone in need.