This week we continue to make our acquaintance with the prophet Amos - the readings are Amos 8:1-12 and Luke 10:38-end.  

Last week Amos was given a vision of 'lead' or 'tin' (you probably heard 'plumbline' in the translation read out), which is an hilarious Hebrew pun on the word for 'moaning' - his point being that the kind of behaviour being displayed by those around him (selfish pursuit of wealth at the expense of the poor and needy) would ultimately only lead to moaning and despair...  So this week we follow up with a second prophetic vision - another great image of... a basket of fruit!

And guess what?  It's another pun!  The Hebrew word for 'basket' sounded almost identical to the Hebrew word for 'end'.  And the point he's making?  That the ways of behaving (see above) is only going to lead to things coming to an end.  So the image is different, but the wordplay is still there, and yes, the point is the same - the way of life being pursued - injustice, hedonism - is only going one way...  What perhaps is different, though, is an added layer that gets put on top - the worship of the people is gathered in with what they're doing wrong.

Now that's a slightly odd concept - how can worshipping be wrong?

The answer Amos suggests is when it's simply going through the motions, when it's a people gathering to say and affirm one thing, and then going out and doing another... It's a hard hitting, cutting comment he's making - but it's one worth making.  It's one, if we dare, that it's worth listening to and hearing - and owning.  How much, Amos dares to ask us, does our faith influence our life not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout the week?  How does it change how we interact with the world to bring truth, unity, compassion, and love?  Can we say it's something we embody wholeheartedly, every day?