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.
Fullerton T 