“I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet.” 

(Amos 7:14)

The Old Testament book of Amos is an important book for Catholics. It describes what happens when God’s people turn away from God’s divine revelation of Himself – all the way back in 750 BC. Even more, it shows how God is ultimately merciful and plans to perfect and fulfill the Davidic Kingdom with the New Covenant and the Catholic Church (see 9:11-15). 

The most important thing is that Amos informed the definitive decree of the Holy Apostles at the first council of Jerusalem in about AD 49. Saint James quoted Amos to prove that Gentiles were to be included in the Davidic kingdom (the Catholic Church) and that Gentiles did not require circumcision. See Acts 15:16–17.

Amos is only nine chapters so you can knock it out pretty easily in one sitting.

1) 1:1–2:16. Introduction (1:1f.). Amos identifies himself, when he prophesied and wherein resided his authority to preach, he announces judgment upon the surrounding peoples (1:3–2:3), upon his native Judah and upon Samaria (2:4–16). Judgment falls on the Gentiles for offences against humanity, violations against natural law; Judah and Israel are judged for turning away from divine revelation (2:4, 11–12) with social collapse.

2) 3:1–6:14. Amos proclaims Samaria’s privileges, but the nation’s sinfulness has turned privilege into a ground upon which Amos bases his doctrine of judgment. Privilege involves God’s people in penalty, hence Amos’ insistence that status does not save (3:1–2) and that the ‘day of the Lord’ will bring darkness and not the light (5:16–20).

3) 7:1–9:10. Five visions of judgment, in each of which the judgment is set forth under a symbol: locusts (7:1–3), fire (7:4–6), a plumbline (7:7–9), summer fruit (8:1–14) and a defiled sanctuary (9:1–10). In 7:10–17 Amos reveals himself as a legal prosecutor of God’s people

4) 9:11–15. The merciful conclusion which describes the restoration of the Davidic kingdom – the Messiah’s Catholic Church.

The feast day of the Prophet Amos is June 15.