It doesn't just happen

A verse from Ecclesiastes says,

I returned, and saw under the sun,
that the race is not to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong,
neither yet bread to the wise,
nor yet riches to men of understanding,
nor yet favour to men of skill;
but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11

We often see that in our own world, and like Ecclesiastes, we chalk it up to luck -- stuff happens.

The prophet Amos in today’s first reading sees a very similar world – “The swift of foot shall not escape... and the most stouthearted warrior shall flee naked that day,” but he doesn’t write it off as luck: the root causes of these disasters are injustice, sacrilege, and decadence.

“Remember this, you who never think of God” (as today’s Psalm tells us): if we use our gifts and talents for our own selfish ends, instead of for helping others and for the worship of the true God, then neither strength nor talent nor even luck will save us from ultimate disaster.

Now is the time to put our talents to use for the good of others and for the glory of God.