RBWords

     Amos continues to hammer at the systemic injustice that he sees around him.  And "systemic" it is!  When the standards that govern ordinary marketplace interaction are corrupted, those who are poor lose the most!  No wheat, no bread!  Cheating the system causes considerable and widespread hardship in a society where most of the people were subsistence farmers on a tenant relationship.  However, cheating the "system" is both ancient and new.  I live in Houston, TX, where the Enron financial scandal is still news.  My readers in Europe and Africa would certainly be aware of the scandals with the Barclay's Bank and other prominent British financial institutions.  In the USA, the collapse of Lehmann Brothers was the first of many cascading failures all based on questionable financial practices.  Oh, Amos would have a field day with those folks!

     Those of us who recall our catechism well enough to remember the four "cardinal virtues" of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude can see why these are so important.  Any economic, legal, political or other organizing of society has to be based on those virtues or else it is oppressive.  When profit and consumption take over, then most people are placed in a survival situation as the economic news clearly indicates to us on a daily basis.  One reason why the world cannot adjust to desperate famine needs in one part of the globe is the sheer selfishness of nations with plenty.  Oh Amos could stand astride our planet and set all ears to ringing!

     The four cardinal virtues are occasionally outnumbered and pushed aside by the seven deadly sins, but if we listen to the prophets whom God has sent to remind us of the dangers of those sins and the importance of those virtues, then we will see a better nation, state and local community.  That would be God's greatest blessing.  Otherwise we fall to demagoguery and selfishness - not at all what our baptismal faith calls us to!   AMEN