Thus says the LORD:
They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority;
they established princes, but without my approval.
With their silver and gold they made
idols for themselves, to their own destruction.
Cast away your calf, O Samaria!
my wrath is kindled against them;
When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin,
his altars became occasions of sin.
Though I write for him my many ordinances,
they are considered as a stranger’s.
Though they offer sacrifice,
immolate flesh and eat it,
the LORD is not pleased with them.
He shall still remember their guilt
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
Hos 8:4, 11-13
Hosea here is calling out how Israel has strayed. The people started picking leaders without consulting or asking God who should lead them. They started making gods for themselves from gold and silver. God calls them out for paying lip service to how they are called to act. Worst of all, God says that despite their sacrifices, they are about to be wiped out and those offerings are not going to save them.
This lesson about God and being a follower of Him is just as relevant today – and the warning just as stern.
How often do we pick the kings and princes in our life? Who are we spending the most time each day listening too? Do we let influencers, tik tok clips, politicians, social media, society, movie and music stars, the internet and forums, or even our own egos run the show? Do we spend any time to ask God what we should do and follow him instead of what society tells us to pursue? Who are we paying attention to as king of our life?
What about our gods of gold and silver? What worldly wealth do we worship? A fancy house in the right place? Travel and vacations? Cars/boats? Clothes and shoes? Our investment portfolio? What possessions could we not get rid of? Is our career the master of our life – or is our work at the service of others and God? Do we pray about our career and ask God where he’d like us to work? Are we more interested in promotions and making money so we can buy the house/car/boat/toys/travel/lifestyle we want instead of what God tells us about the work of our days? Do we put our faith in God before our own wishes?
Do we pay attention to any of the teachings of God – or are they just a ‘nice suggestion’ from a stranger? Do we genuinely seek His will in our life every day? Are we a public example on how to live out Christian joy/purity in the world? Do we obey the commandments? Do we follow the instruction of the Church regarding marriage, living together when unwed, and pre-marital sex? Do we seek forgiveness and forgive our neighbors – even when they hurt us? Do we gossip and slander others? Do we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, aid the orphan, widow, and foreigner? Offer a kind word and encouragement to those struggling?
Yet it’s the admonition their sins remain after their sacrifices that is most chilling of all to me.
God is telling us that just going to mass for an hour on Sunday is not enough. We can’t just rely on the offering of Christ for us – we must be transformed into Christ for the world. We cannot just be onlookers at the feet of the cross and then go back to our shops and homes to live like we did before we came in. We must become the disciples who’s lives are transformed and sent forth – never to be the same.
If your life is not changing and you are not becoming more full of Christ and less of yourself it’s time to spend some time in prayer. What voices and leaders are ruling us besides God? What gods of gold and silver we are getting in the way of walking hour by hour with God? Do we have habitual or unrepentant sin in our life dulling our senses? Because if we do not convert, just going to mass on Sunday is not going to save us.
