Scripture Sunday: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha and Amos

Amos 7:7-15
7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?
And I said, "A plumb line." 
Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." 
10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'" 
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." 
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

It is natural to feel uncomfortable when discussing death, exile, and the destruction of cities and peoples. The Lord does not rejoice in the punishment of the wicked but rather desires their repentance (Ez 18:23). Moreover, the Lord has a special concern for the poor, the orphan, and the widow. Jesus' words speak loudly, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:20b-21).
In the book of Amos, we encounter this tension. Amos prophesies exile and death to the people of Israel and even to the king. To Amos, it seems clear that this is punishment for Israel's failure to follow the Lord. However, there are many instances where this clarity is lacking. The story of Job is a prime example, and the psalmist frequently asks, “Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?” Especially today, it often feels difficult to distinguish an outcome or decision that is purely “good,” and we witness significant decisions impacting the lives of many innocent people.
Today, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. Born in 1656 in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, she survived smallpox at age four, although her family did not. Tekakwitha faced additional hardships living with her adoptive Mohawk family, experiencing war against neighboring tribes and the burning of her village by French colonists in present-day Fonda, New York. Influenced by Jesuit priests, she converted to Catholicism and diligently prayed for the salvation of the Mohawk people. At age 11, Tekakwitha joined French priest Jean Pierron to tend to the wounded, bury the dead, and carry food and water to the Indigenous peoples affected by tribal war.
Tekakwitha continued to join her tribe during hunting season, carving crosses into trees to remind herself of Christ. She spent her time working, praying, and meditating outdoors. Through visiting priests, she learned catechesis and was baptized after St. Catherine of Siena. When persecution to marry intensified at age 19, she fled her home and moved to St. Francis Xavier, a “Christian Indian mission.” There, she was influenced by the community of Native American converts, making deep connections with them and God. Tekakwitha reportedly slept on thorns while praying for her relatives' conversion and forgiveness, practicing the traditional Mohawk act of piercing her body. She once said, “I will willingly abandon this miserable body to hunger and suffering, provided that my soul may have its ordinary nourishment.”
Tekakwitha is also quoted as saying, “I have deliberated enough. For a long time, my decision on what I will do has been made. I have consecrated myself entirely to Jesus, son of Mary. I have chosen Him for husband, and He alone will take me for wife.” She and her friend Marie Thérèse Tegaianguenta attempted to start a Native religious order, but their idea was rejected. She died at age 24.
The life of Kateri Tekakwitha can evoke discomfort. Some Indigenous people have mixed feelings about her canonization, as her story is intertwined with the tragedies of colonization. Some believe she was canonized to bolster the Church's image among Native Americans. Nevertheless, she is generally respected among Catholics and indigenous Mohawks, who see her sainthood as a unique bridge between two cultures, potentially fostering unity.
Pope John Paul II said of Kateri Tekakwitha, “Even when she dedicated herself fully to Jesus Christ, to the point of taking the prophetic step of making a vow of perpetual virginity, she always remained what she was, a true daughter of her people, following her tribe in the hunting seasons and continuing her devotions in the environment most suited to her way of life, before a rough cross carved by herself in the forest. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the great gift of God’s love, is never in contrast with what is noble and pure in the life of any tribe or nation, since all good things are his gifts.”
Like Amos was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees, Tekakwitha was not born a prophet, but was instead a hunter and a person of deep respect for Creation. Yet, through God's grace, both became instruments used by God to guide people toward truth and love. 
How can our connection to Creation and our daily work help us discover and fulfill God’s purpose for our lives?

Information taken from:
https://www.kateri.org/our-patron-saint/#:~:text=Saint%20Kateri%27s%20feast%20day%20is,Kahnawake%2C%20near%20Montreal%2C%20Quebec
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=154

Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.