Fullerton T

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

The readings for this Sunday warn us against selfishness and ignoring those in need. God asks us to live with kindness and care, not to turn away from the poor or weak. We are reminded that faith is shown in how we act and also in what we say. In the First reading the prophet Amos speaks to the wealthy of Judah and Israel. Their crime is that they could  not care less about the plight of the poor. God condemns those living in luxury and indifference, foretelling their exile and the end of their extravagant celebrations. In the Second Reading from St Paul’s letter to Timothy we are told as Jesus was faithful to his call in the face of  the hostility that led to his death, So Christians facing persecution should be faithful to Gods call. We are encouraged to pursue virtues and keep the commandments until Christ’s return, honoring the immortal, unseen God.

This Sunday the gospel story tells us about two people, a rich man and a poor man it is a good reflection on the situation in the world at the present time where those who are rich are getting richer at the expense of the poor who are getting poorer. The rich man is wealthy in clothes and food; he is also rich in privilege and  freedom he is free from the worry that besets those who are poor even though he was poorer than the poorest man because of the way he lived his life. You can imagine Lazarus praying: “Give us this day our daily bread.” But he didn’t get  a crumb. You cannot imagine the rich man praying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Because the privilege he has blinds him to Lazarus the man who lies at his own gate. Both men eventually died as all of us will.  Lazarus went straight to heaven to the joy  of endless happiness.  On the other hand the rich man fares very differently. His enjoyments are over. He is now in Hades and he is told that he can expect no relief. Abraham tells him why he is in his present state: he abused his time on earth he acted as though there would be no judgment day of course there was and he sees the truth of this. He knows that he has no one to blame but himself which adds to his torment. It is also a cause of additional grief to him that his bad example will lead his fellowmen to a similar fate.

This rich man is in eternal torment because he let his wealth become his master and forgot God and his neighbor and all  that leads us to eternal life. In our world today We see men and women who completely ignore their real future while they know that their stay on this earth is of very short duration and that they will have to leave it and yet they still act and live as if they had a permanent home here none of us do. For all of us there is a simple question are we going to be like the rich man and ignore those around us who are the Lazarus’s of our own time and place. There are times when our lack of compassion and action is our crime think of how we react to the homeless, the refugees or those who don’t have enough daily bread. Christ, shared his riches with everyone we should do the same and not be like the rich man in the gospel story?

This weekend Let us take the warnings of Amos, the encouragement of St Paul, and the lesson of Lazarus and the rich man to heart. May we be people of compassion, action, and faith sharing our blessings and building a community of Love ,hope  and joy where no one is left at the gate.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

As we gather this weekend many places in the world are still at war with each other. We continue our prayer for peace in Gaza and Ukraine as well as all the less talked about wars. This  weekend we  are asked to reflect on our use of worldly resources and our responsibilities to others. The readings challenge us to live with honesty, justice, and faithfulness to God above all else.  In the first reading we hear about Amos who was a great champion off social justice. In this short reading he depicts the religious employers waiting impatiently for the Sabath to end so that they could get on with their lucrative and dishonest trading. Psalm 113 shows that God lifts up the lowly and cares for those who are in need. This shows His love for those who trust Him. In the Second Reading Paul urges the Christian communities to pray for everyone especially those who hold public office as God wants everyone to be saved.

Our gospel reading tells us about the rich Man and his dishonest steward. The steward who looked after his master’s estates is accused of wasting his employer’s goods; he is dismissed, but before he goes he must submit the final account of his stewardship.  In this time of crisis the steward takes firm and immediate action to ensure his own future. He is praised not for his dishonesty, but for his resourcefulness in coping with an emergency with such speed. If a dishonest man can use his employer’s money to ensure there will be people to welcome him when he’s out of a job, how much more should honest people use their money in such a way that they will be welcomed into the kingdom of God when they arrive there. One of the central themes in Luke’s gospel is the suspicion Jesus conveys towards worldly wealth.  Material things can divert our attention and in some cases they can take the place of what truly matters in life. These particular words of Jesus are a warning to those who follow him on the road to heaven, the warning is that we shouldn’t get too attached earthly pocessions and wealth. Our Lord didn’t say who he was warning and his words are meant for all of us today.  What Jesus warned against was not the just acquisition of this world’s goods but their unjust acquisition, and the dishonest use of them when they were justly acquired.

In This gospel story we see an example of someone who knew what he had to do in a crisis situation and Jesus asks all of us to remember no matter what situations we might find ourselves in that we shouldn’t become slaves to pocessions or the wealth that we have and that we shouldn’t be afraid to use whatever our resources we have for the good of everyone especially those in need. The scriptures warn against idolising wealth or allowing possessions to harden our hearts. Instead, we are encouraged to use what we have whether a little or a lot  to serve, uplift, and restore. This is not a call to reckless giving, but a call to thoughtful generosity that reflects God’s own care for the poor. There are many people throughout history who have taken this gospel story  to heart and  decided to act quickly and decisively when required in order to help others and in their time of need. As we reflect on today’s readings and the state of our world, let us renew our commitment to live with honesty, justice, integrity and faithfulness. May we be people who care for the poor, pray earnestly for peace, and practise generosity not just with our resources, but with our hearts. In doing so, we align our lives more closely with God’s ways remembering that very often gods ways are not our ways and then  become true stewards of his love in a world longing for healing, peace, reconciliation and hope. Let us go forth in hope ready to pray, to serve, and to give, trusting that even in the darkest times, God is calling us to be instruments of his peace where we are.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross that we celebrate this Sunday remembers the Cross of Jesus. It has been celebrated by the Church for centuries. The feast began in the 4th century, when the True Cross was found by St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. Tradition says she found the Cross in Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified. This discovery made a deep impression on Christians and led to honouring the Cross in a special way.

The liturgy for this feast draws from several scriptural readings that reveal the depth of the Cross’s meaning. In the first reading, the Israelites, weary and frustrated, complain against God and Moses during their journey. In response, God allows venomous serpents to afflict them. After the people repent, God instructs Moses to craft a bronze serpent; those who look upon it are haled. This act foreshadows the healing and salvation brought through Christ’s crucifixion.The second reading presents the humility of Jesus. Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not cling to equality with God but emptied himself, embracing humanity and obedience—even to the point of death on a cross. For this, God exalted him and gave him a name above all others. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, explaining that the Son of Man must be “lifted up” in the same way Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness. Through this “lifting up” on the cross, Jesus brings eternal life, not condemnation, to the world. He is sent as a gift of salvation—a ransom for many. The cross as a sign of hope is a paradox. It is like the writing we can read on tombs in old graveyards: Ave crux, unica spes – Hail cross, our only hope. That is a good summary of the Christian faith: in the cross of Jesus, our hope has dawned. We say, “Where there’s life there’s hope.” As long as we live we’re able to hope and open ourselves to the future. Our hope gives direction to our lives; it gives us a reason to keep going. But we know that when we hope we become vulnerable. Hoping is always a risk because it looks to what is not here. To avoid the pain of disappointment some people give up hoping. Like the people of Israel in today’s first reading: they stop hoping in God because of the pain that goes with their new found freedom. They want freedom without wilderness; they want liberation without suffering. God sent the plague of serpents to bring the people to their senses. The God who sent the serpents later sends his beloved Son who died on the Cross for our salvation.

On the cross Jesus does what so many want to avoid: he suffers so that others might be free. To suffer and be rejected are the signs of the cross. In Jesus, God does not despise a broken humanity but takes it to himself. Jesus reveals God by making himself vulnerable. He takes on his back what we all want to avoid: responsibility for our sins. He is nailed to the cross. He does not die a natural death; he is put to death. In all this, he does not despise what is human. As Paul says, Jesus does not cling to his equality with God, he enters the deprivation of humanity becoming a servant  then God raised him high and gave him the name that is above all names . In the Cross and then in the resurrection, hope is born again. Hope is born out of realism; it is born out of love and it leads us to great joy in our lives on earth and in heaven. That is why Paul was right for in the cross there is new life and there is triumph. As we honour the Holy Cross, we recognise it as the sign  of hope especially in this Holy Year dedicated to the theme of Hope.