Silence in an evil time

It was a sermon remnant, an odd outlier that required attention. I was reflecting on the book of Amos, one of the fiercest prophets of justice in the Hebrew scriptures.  Most of the message worked with what I was preparing, reflecting on how socioeconomic power disparities create additional suffering in times of ecological crisis. And, of course, how pleased Jesus is at all the unnecessary suffering our greed creates.

A nice, light, sermon, in other words.

But one verse from Amos just stuck in my soul’s craw. It didn’t mesh. It needed more attention: “Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.”