September 29, 2013

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thus says the LORD the God of hosts:
Woe to the complacent in Zion!
Lying upon beds of ivory,
stretched comfortably on their couches,
they eat lambs taken from the flock,
and calves from the stall!
Improvising to the music of the harp,
like David, they devise their own accompaniment.
They drink wine from bowls
and anoint themselves with the best oils;
yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile,
and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 1 Tm 6:11-16

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 
Compete well for the faith. 
Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called
when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,
and before Christ Jesus,
who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,
to keep the commandment without stain or reproach
until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
that the blessed and only ruler
will make manifest at the proper time,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,
and whom no human being has seen or can see. 
To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Gospel Lk 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

St. Paul Center Blog

A Great Chasm: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 09.27.13 |

Amos 6:1, 4-7
Psalm 146:7-10
1 Timothy 6:11-16
Luke 16:19-31

The rich and powerful are visited with woe and exile in today’s Liturgy - not for their wealth but for their refusal to share it; not for their power but for their indifference to the suffering at their door.

The complacent leaders in today’s First Reading feast on fine foods and wines, reveling while the house of Joseph, the kingdom of Israel (see Amos 5:6), collapses around them.

The rich man in today’s Gospel also lives like a king - dressed in royal purple and fine linen (see 1 Maccabees 8:14).

The rich man symbolizes Israel’s failure to keep the Old Covenant, to heed the commandments of Moses and the prophets. This is the sin of the rulers in today’s First Reading. Born to the nation God favored first, they could claim Abraham as their father. But for their failure to give - their inheritance is taken away.

The rulers are exiled from their homeland. The rich man is punished with an exile far greater - eternity with a “great chasm” fixed between himself and God.

In this world, the rich and powerful make a name for themselves (see Genesis 11:4) and dine sumptuously, while the poor remain anonymous, refused an invitation to their feasts.

But notice that the Lord today knows Lazarus by name, and Joseph in his sufferings - while the leaders and the rich man have no name.

Today’s Liturgy is a call to repentance - to heed the warning of One who was raised from the dead. To lay hold of the eternal life He promises, we must pursue righteousness, keep the commandment of love, as Paul exhorts in today’s Epistle.

“The Lord loves the just,” we sing in today’s Psalm.

And in this Eucharist we have a foretaste of the love that will be ours in the next life - when He will raise the lowly to the heavenly banquet with Abraham and the prophets (see Luke 13:28), where we too will rest our heads on the bosom of our Lord (see John 13:23).

‘Who is the Rich Man’

Very few of us can be numbered among the rich and the powerful who have the power to exploit the poor.

So how are we to apply to our own lives the readings for the 25th and 26th Sundays in Ordinary Time, which are so preoccupied with questions of social justice, wealth and poverty?

These readings remind us that the law of love (see John 15:12; Romans 13:8) means that each of us in some way will be judged by the mercy we show to the poor.

As the rich man learns in the parable of Lazarus - the distance between ourselves and God in the next life may be the distance we put between ourselves and the poor in this life (see Matthew 25:31-46; James 2:8,14-17).

But we also need to hear these readings in context of the Gospel message in recent months. Recall that among the stories we’ve heard is that of the teacher who wanted to know, “Who is my neighbor?” (see Luke 10:25-37) and of the rich fool who tried to store up earthly treasures (see Luke 12:13-21).

We may not be “rich men” or exploiters of the poor, but each of us should take to heart the persistent message of the Liturgy - that what we have and desire to have can separate us from God and our neighbor; that our possessions can come to possess us; that true riches are to be found in sharing what we have with the poor; and that this will gain us what we truly desire - the inheritance of treasure in heaven.

(Tissot: Lazarus the beggar)

"And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus . . . "

The word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/092913.cfm

Amos 6: 1a, 4-7
I Tim 6: 11-16
Lk 16: 19-31

One may be tempted by the readings this Sunday to excoriate the good people of God in the pews with some sort of guilt trip. “Don’t you care about the poor!” “Don’t you know that the almighty dollar is not an idol to be worshipped?” “Stop being so greedy and share some of your wealth with those less fortunate.” “Who is the Lazarus among us?” My general experience over the years, however, is that most folks in the pews are not greedy or selfish. They are aware of the needs of the less fortunate and want to help in some way. They contribute food, money and time to assist. They support organizations that are of service to those who truly need compassion. In fact I knew of a man who would contribute financially to just about every charitable request he received in the mail. His kitchen table was covered with envelopes and requests for a variety of worthy causes. He just couldn’t say “no” to anyone so he contributed something to everybody.

What impact, then, do the readings have upon the well-meaning and those who do share? We can always do a better job at being more open-minded, more compassionate and sensitive to a person’s plight and more generous with time, talent and treasure. Yet, how blind or complacent is the average regular Catholic to the needs of the poor? We priests often find ourselves preaching to the choir as the saying goes.

It may be a bit of a comfort to know that both the first reading and the Gospel passage this weekend are addressed to the Pharisees. They were notorious for dividing people into categories: those whom God blessed and those he didn’t. The poor – tough luck for in fact they are unclean and may well deserve their lot. Care for the poor, widows and orphans were so obvious a great social wound but do you think they even cared? Does that mean that we who generally do care, therefore, are off the hook?

Yet, the well-known Gospel passage (Lk 16: 19-31) this Sunday of the rich man and the poor beggar at his door named Lazarus, and the complacency of the rich man, even after death, is once again an extreme example given by Jesus to emphasize the blindness that even the “choir” may have to go beyond the minimum.

Dorothy Day, the devoted social justice activist and devout Catholic once wrote: “We need always to be thinking and writing about poverty, for if we are not among the victims its reality fades from us. We must talk about poverty, because people insulated by their own comfort lost sight of it.”

Her words are timely in light of our Holy Father Pope Francis and his constant mantra about the poor and our need as the good people of God to reach out and go beyond our own borders to find the lost sheep. These are uncomfortable words in one way. I may have good intentions and give to worthy causes. I may even offer volunteer time at a food bank, which is more than many. I have so many other commitments that consume my day to day life.

And interestingly, the Gospel doesn’t exactly say that in life the rich man was a greedy, selfish person. But by implication it states: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus . . . who would have gladly eaten . . . the scraps that feel from the man’s table . . .” Then, the poor man died and later the rich man died. After death, they found judgment. Because he was rich and had plenty was the rich man “. . . suffering torment in these flames . . .”? (Notice the rich man is not named but the poor man is named). Is he judged for what he had?

The first reading from the prophet Amos 6: 1a, 4-7 may provide a clue here. It begins: “Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs from the flock . . . yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph . . .” It strikes me the key word is “complacent.”

One definition of the word complacent, which may indeed strike us here as the take away message this Sunday, is: “Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned.”

The point is that the rich man could have easily helped to alleviate the suffering of the poor Lazarus right in front of his face each day – but by implication we see that he did nothing. In fact, his complacency made him self-satisfied and unconcerned. Therein lies a great sin; a “great chasm” as we hear in the Gospel imagery.

For us, who do care this Gospel challenges us to wonder if we really do care. Do we care enough to offer a band aid or engage on some level in concrete help? Have I convinced myself that my monthly/yearly contribution to my favorite charity is really all I can do? Is my yearly contribution of canned food at my local parish Thanksgiving Mass a significant way to feed Lazarus at my door? All of these are good things but the readings call us to, as Dorothy Day recommended to never “stop thinking or writing about poverty.”

While I don’t believe that we are called to save the world or solve world poverty or hunger, it is significant that our weekly celebration of the Eucharist, our food for the journey, does not end when we walk out the doors of the Church. Each of us, out of our particular position in life (our vocation) must be aware of complacency. We all can and must do something to shorten the great chasm between people which causes pain, suffering, dis-respect, hunger, poverty, and danger.

While we may tend to put groups of people into neat societal order – wealthy, middle class, and poor – the Eucharist calls us to carry the grace we have received at Mass out to make a difference; to be effective witnesses of Gospel justice as God does indeed care about how we bridge the “great chasm” that we often find between us.

Fr. Tim

Sunday Scripture Study

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

September 29, 2013

Click here for USCCB readings

Opening Prayer

First Reading: Amos 6:1a, 4-7

Psalm: 146:7-10

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Gospel Reading: Luke 16:19-31

In the passage immediately after last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus’ opponents the Pharisees were scoffing at Jesus’ teaching that one “cannot serve [both] God and mammon” (Luke 16:13-15).

Jesus then addresses to them the “parable” of the Rich Man (traditionally called Dives) and Lazarus. We call this a parable, although there has long been debate if this is the case. Jesus often started his parables with the introduction “There was a man…” (Luke 14:16, 15:11, 16:1). On the other hand, in his other parables he never names any characters like he does here with Lazarus (verse 20).

The “netherworld” and “Abraham’s bosom” referred to in this passage does not refer to heaven and hell as we think of it, but to the shadowy place of the dead that the Jews of the time thought of as the afterlife; respectively, they refer to the abode of the souls of the unjust and the just, before Christ opened heaven.

This parable, among other things, shows that there is a life of reward or punishment after this one and that where one ends up depends on how he or she spends their life on earth.

QUESTIONS:

In the First Reading from the prophet Amos, the persons addressed seem to have many luxuries and are living a life of indolence. Why does the Lord find fault with this?

In the Second Reading, list the things that St. Paul advises that Timothy should make his priorities? How many of these are your priorities?

In the Gospel Reading, how do the lives of the rich man and Lazarus compare on earth (verses 19-21)? After death (verses 22-24)?

What determines who enters heaven and who does not (see Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 2:6-11)? Why does this poor man qualify while the rich man is kept out?

On a scale of 1 (the Rich Man and his brothers) to 10 (Lazarus), where do you stand? Why there?

What does this passage teach about the afterlife? What should we do with our lives here on earth?

What does this story teach you about comfort? Suffering? Why is it so difficult for people to be convinced of God’s ways? How is verse 31 prophetic?

Since lacking in knowledge is not the problem of the Rich Man’s brothers, what is? How do you see that tendency in yourself?

Closing Prayer

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 633, 1021, 1859, 2831

I ask you and I beseech you and, falling at your feet, I beg you: as long as we enjoy the brief respite of life, let us repent, let us be converted, let us become better, so that we will not have to lament uselessly like that rich man when we die and tears can do us no good. For even if you have a father or a son or a friend or anyone else who have influence with God, no one will be able to set you free, for your own deeds condemn you. -- St. John Chrysostom

Insight Scoop

Lazarus, the Rich Man, and the Sin of Pride

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, September 29, 2013 | Carl E. Olson

Readings:
• Am 6:1a, 4-7
• Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
• 1 Tm 6:11-16
• Lk 16:19-31

As we hear the various parables from the Gospel of Luke it is good to keep two things in mind. First, the context of these teachings, which were given by Jesus as he made his way up to Jerusalem to “be delivered into the hands of men” (Lk. 9:44) and enter into his Passion. That journey was not just a physical journey, but also a sign of obedience to the will of the Father, a concrete expression of perfect humility and self-gift.

Secondly, his parables and discourses given during the journey were not haphazard or random in nature, but form a cohesive and focused whole. They are like different paths leading to the same place and shedding light on the same event: Jesus’ death on the Cross for the salvation of mankind. Some of them were meant specifically for the disciples; others for the crowds following Jesus; still others for the Pharisees and other religious leaders.

Between last week’s reading of the parable of the dishonest steward (Lk. 16:1-15) and today’s parable is a little bridge of five verses (16:14-18). That passage states that the Pharisees—“who were lovers of money”—had heard Jesus say, “You cannot serve God and mammon”, and had sneered at him. Jesus then said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

This sets up the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, a story sometimes interpreted solely as a renunciation of greed and a call to treat the poor with justice. That interpretation is, of course, both correct and important. Today’s reading from the prophet Amos takes up the same issue, directing a curse toward the complacent wealthy who stuff themselves with rich meat while starving themselves spiritually. And the first half of the parable (vs. 19-26) is directed toward the same sort of opulent self-indulgence and gluttonous revelry.

But there is more to it, for Jesus took what was quite possibly a well-known motif—a rich man descending into Hades—and suddenly, as the saying goes, brought it home with an unexpected epilogue. The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers so they might escape eternal torment. Who are the five brothers? In the immediate context, they are the Pharisees, the ones who have and know the law of Moses and the prophets and yet fail to pursue the will of God and die to pride.

St. Jerome, commenting on this passage, said the rich man is not accused of greed, theft, adultery, “or, in fact, of any wrongdoing. The evil alone of which he is guilty is pride.” Pride, says St. Thomas Aquinas in his treatise on evil, signifies an intentional contempt of God. Every sin, in fact, is infected to some degree by pride. The Catechism explains that “hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to love of God, whose goodness it denies…” (par. 2094).

Pride destroys love for God and love for others; it seeks only itself and its desires, without thought for tomorrow or the afterlife. The Pharisees, as Abraham tells the rich man, have Moses and prophets. They, more than anyone else, had no excuse for being prideful and refusing to repent. But they failed to heed John the Baptist’s warning about believing that because Abraham was their father, they had no need for repentence (Lk. 3:8).

Jerome, providing a spiritual interpretation, likens the five brothers to our five physical senses. Pride often comes through physical, sensual pleasures; materials things meant for our good can become our masters. “Blessed are you who are poor,” Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, “But woe to you who are rich…” Regardless of income and social status, all Christians must pursue a spirit of poverty, for without it we cannot take up the cross, die to sin, and enter eternal beatitude.

(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the September 26, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)

Regnum Christi

Lax about Lazarus

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Luke 16: 19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man´s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ´Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.´ Abraham replied, ´My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.´ He said, ´Then I beg you, father, send him to my father´s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.´ But Abraham replied, ´They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.´ He said, ´Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.´ Then Abraham said, ´If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.´"

Introductory Prayer: In you, Lord, I find all my joy and happiness. How could I offend you by chasing after fleeting success and lifeless trophies? I believe in you because you are truth itself. I hope in you because you are faithful to your promises. I love you because you have loved me first. I am a sinner; nevertheless, you have given me so many blessings. I humbly thank you.

Petition: Lord, make me more aware of the people around me who need my help.

1. Nice Isn´t Enough: The rich man in today´s Gospel is the proverbial “nice guy.” His good qualities abound. He does, after all, accept his fate meekly. He doesn´t ask to be released from hell; he asks for only a drop of water to quench his thirst. And when he can´t get even that much relief, he begs for a special messenger in the hopes of sparing his own brothers a similar fate. He at least thinks of the welfare of others. Yet, all that niceness didn´t save him from eternal punishment. Do I ever think that just being a "nice" person will get me to heaven? Might I be using my own standards to judge my worthiness, rather than using God´s standards?

2. The “O” Word: The rich man never seemed to be bothered by Lazarus. The poor man was doubtlessly a pitiful sight to behold. Some people would have been quick to send servants to chase the beggar away. But not the rich man; no, he deliberately left the beggar alone. And that is where the rich man erred. His was a sin of omission. The rich man lost his soul not for what he did, but for what he failed to do. Am I much better? Is there someone in need, right under my nose, who I routinely ignore? Is there something I could be doing to end an evil? Do I help the pro-life effort? Do I contribute to the poor? Do I dedicate time to a needy child or sibling or in-law?

3. Late Love: The rich man, now condemned, shows concern for his five brothers. They, presumably, are living it up — and destined for the same end as their hapless sibling. The rich man´s concern is well-placed, but his timing is late. If only he had shown concern for his brothers´ souls when he was alive — then he might have made an impact. Caring for family members, helping them reach heaven, is the most loving thing we can do for them. Everything else will be meaningless if our own behavior (or omission) prevents others from attaining salvation. Does that prompt me to pray constantly for family members? To offer up sacrifices for them? Do I try to help others grow in their faith?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, my time in this world is short. Too many people suffer the unexpected death of loved ones and then regret that they didn´t do more for them. Let me not make that same mistake. Help me see that each day is a gift, and each encounter with another person is an opportunity to show your love to them.

Resolution: I will do an act of charity for someone whom I have been taking for granted.

Protecting Our Addictions

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. on September 27, 2013 ·

Temperance. For older American, that word conjures up images of Carrie Nation shattering bottles of gin to usher in Prohibition.

But the word temperance does not mean abstinence from alcohol or total abstinence from anything, for that matter. It means that the desire for pleasures of various sorts is brought into balance with other legitimate needs and obligations. Also called moderation, this virtue is the power whereby pleasure is allowed to do its job of refreshing and rewarding us for life-sustaining activities (like resting, working, eating, procreating) but keeps the pursuit of pleasure from becoming an addiction that interferes with our duty and our health. It is one of the Cardinal Virtues, one of the key qualities that anyone must possess and perfect who wishes to live a successful life. The philosophers of the ancient world and God’s inspired word concur on this point.

In the absence of temperance, the desire for pleasure drives us to overindulge with predictable results: indigestion and a hangover. Eating and drinking too much is gluttony, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. But immoderate indulgence of any appetite, not just food and drink, is a type of gluttony as well: too much TV, exercise, shopping, Facebook, texting, etc.

The saddest thing about gluttony is that it causes us to be self-absorbed. Pursuit of pleasure leads to the neglect not only of our true health and well-being, but of the needs of those around us. Our compulsion for more pleasure finally leads to injustice: we’ll take more than our fair share of the strawberries leaving our siblings with none.

This is the problem with the wealthy Israelites that Amos reproves in this Sunday’s first reading. Their fault is not their wealth. Nor is it that from time to time they enjoy their wealth. The problem is that all they do with their wealth is indulge themselves, oblivious to the fact that the Kingdom of Israel is collapsing all around them.

The same is true for the rich man of this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 16). Dives (Latin for rich man) does not just feast on Sabbaths and holidays. He feasts every day. Not only does he fail to invite Lazarus to feast with him, but he fails even to share his leftovers with this sick beggar who sits right in front of the door to his house.

Did he mock the beggar, set his dogs upon him, or maliciously hurt him in any way? No, he did not commit any of these sins. His sin was rather a sin of omission: he failed to do what he could to relieve the suffering of someone right under his nose. He had allowed his self-indulgence to blind him to the needs of others and muffle the voice of his conscience.

Eternal consequences follow from the rich man’s choice. He who hardened his heart, refusing mercy, found himself exiled from Mercy for all eternity. The conversation at the end of the story between this damned soul and Father Abraham is pitiful. Dives thought that hardness of heart could be shattered by God just shouting louder, in the form of a greater miracle than Moses and the prophets had ever worked. “If only someone would come back from the dead and warn my brothers . . .” His brothers’ overwhelming commitment to their own comfort would cause them to shut out the voice of the Risen Lord, to turn off the hearing aid. Some will do anything to protect their lifestyle, their chosen form of addiction.

Why despite all logic, all scientific evidence, all mercy, is abortion-on-demand the law of our land? Because it is a necessary last resort to safeguard the lifestyle of a very large and powerful portion of our nation’s population.

That’s the price our country is willing to pay to protect one of its addictions. The question is, what addictions are you are protecting?

This is offered as a reflection on the scripture readings for the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C (Amos 6:1-4, 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31). It is reproduced here by permission of the author.

Scripture Speaks: The Use of Wealth

by Gayle Somers on September 27, 2013 ·

Gospel (Read Lk 16:19-31)

St. Luke told us in last Sunday’s reading that Jesus had some bracing words to say about money to the Pharisees who gathered to hear Him. However, St. Luke tells us “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, … scoffed at Him” (16:14). Perhaps because of this hardness of heart, Jesus tells them yet another story. He gives them another opportunity to hear the truth.

Jesus begins His story with, “There was a rich man.” There can be no missing that this parable is intended for men who were “lovers of money.” They should be all ears. The rich man lived like a king, with fine clothing and sumptuous feasting “every day.” We should remember that in Jesus’ day, the Jews thought that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing; likewise, poverty and adversity must be a sign of God’s disapproval. There was a poor, sick man, Lazarus, who lay at the rich man’s door. Why was he lying there? Was he too sick and weak to do anything else? Was he hoping that by positioning himself in such an obvious spot—the door—he would stand a much better chance of being seen by the rich man and receiving some help from him?

It is worth noting that this poor, sick man has a name—Lazarus. He is the only person in any of Jesus’ parables to be named. In Hebrew, his name means “God is my help.” What a name! He is poor and sick, but he has the dignity of a name. He is an icon of all the poor of human history who have chosen to put their faith in God. They trust Him to save them even in all their terrible adversity. Perhaps this is why Lazarus is described as one “who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.” We do not find him bitterly ranting against the rich man. There is no resentful demand for justice and redistribution of wealth. No, Lazarus knew that God was his true help in life, and He could be trusted. His fate did not depend on this indifferent rich man.

“When the poor man died, he was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham.” His faith in God, Who was his help, was well rewarded. The rich man died, too, but he went to the netherworld, a place of torment. How surprised the Pharisees listening to Jesus must have been to hear this reversal in the story. The rich man, seeing Abraham and Lazarus by his side, cried out for the kind of mercy he had never been willing to show the poor man on his doorstep. Abraham reminded him that he had “received what was good” in his lifetime (and had never shared it). Lazarus had received “what was bad” (and had never lost his faith in God). Now, the tables are turned. Of course, this kind of reversal is one of the bedrock truths about human existence that Jesus taught the crowds who followed Him at the very beginning of His ministry. Recall that the Sermon on the Mount begins with the beatitudes (see Mt 5:1-12). In each of them, Jesus makes clear how foolish it is to live for only what we can see and grasp in this life; our time here is really a preparation for eternity (i.e., “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”). The rich man found himself in Hades, not because he was rich, but because he had lost this perspective.

Abraham explains why he can’t grant the rich man’s request for help: “Between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.” What does this mean? A note from theIgnatius Catholic Study Bible (pgs 138-139) will help:

“Hades (the netherworld or realm of the dead) refers to a waiting place where the deceased souls of the wicked are retained until the Last Judgment (Rev 20:13). Here it stands opposite Abraham’s presence, where the righteous souls of the Old Testament era waited patiently for Christ to open the gates of heaven (Eph. 4:8-10). The sinners languish in the grip of torment. It is separated from the abode of the righteous by a permanent, unbridgeable gulf that permits no traffic to pass between them (see CCC 633).”

The rich man then pleads for Lazarus to warn his brothers to avoid “this place of torment.” Because the rich man is in the place of the wicked, we must presume that this request doesn’t come from mercy, because he had none. Most likely it was pride in his family’s name and reputation that made him want his brothers to avoid torment. Notice that his concern was not that his brothers learn to love God and live charitably with their neighbors, as instructed by the Law of Moses. It was only that they avoid torment.

Abraham wisely answered: “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” Had the rich man simply lived the law of love of God and neighbor, the heart of the covenant God had made with His people through Moses and preached by all the prophets sent to them when they didn’t, he would have found himself in the bosom of Abraham, too. He had, sadly, been deaf to that law. Now, however, he is convinced that “if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Abraham knew better: “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” These are prophetic words, of course. In the first instance, when Jesus raised another man named Lazarus, from the dead, it only further hardened the hearts of those who had rejected Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. The religious elites sought to put both Jesus and Lazarus to death as a result (see Jn 11:45-53; 12:9-11). After Jesus’ Resurrection, the apostles preached the Gospel to the Jews in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Again, the religious elites rejected it. Even the miracle of resurrection cannot change a heart that has fully hardened itself against listening to God.

The message Jesus had for the “lovers of money” was simple: Don’t let money blind you to those in need. Use your gift of wealth to love God will all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. What we choose in this life will be what we receive in the next. If we choose ourselves, we get only ourselves. If we choose to believe that “God is my help,” we get Him!

Possible response: Lord Jesus, help me keep my eyes open to see my neighbor who might need my help today.

First Reading (Read Amos 6:1a, 4-7)

Amos was a prophet who lived in the 8^th century B.C. He was sent by God to warn the rich and disobedient in Israel, the ten northern tribes that had broken away from the royal throne of David. In vivid language he describes their self-indulgence, yet “they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph.” In other words, they were completely indifferent to the fact that they and their fellow Jews had lost the faith, violated the covenant, and stood on the brink of destruction. Their luxuries had blinded them to the tragic spiritual state of their souls and their nation. They lived only for themselves. Consequently, the Lord vowed that “they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.” They would, in God’s just judgment, lose everything but themselves—the very definition of hell.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, I live in a culture that loves luxury and self-indulgence. Strengthen me against its taint.

Psalm (Read Ps 146:7-10)

This psalm reveals the meaning of the name “Lazarus”—“God is my help.” It describes in detail the confidence of those who trust in the Lord to liberate, heal, lift up those bowed down, protect strangers, and sustain the needy. The one who lives this faith, like Lazarus in our Gospel, is “blessed.” He “secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.” Those who trust in God’s generosity show generosity to others themselves. The rich man in the parable should have known, from this psalm, as well as from the writings of Amos and all the prophets, that this is the way a faithful Jew lives the covenant God made with His people. He had chosen a different way, the way of the wicked, which God “thwarts.” The way Lazarus chose is the way that sings, “Praise the Lord, my soul!”

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read 1 Tim 6:11-16)

We need to know the context of our epistle reading to understand its full force. In verses not included today (see 6:6-10), St. Paul writes to St. Timothy, the young bishop of Ephesus, about how to best serve as a shepherd to the flock entrusted to him. The whole epistle gives a wide variety of instructions about how to be a good pastor. In this, St. Paul touches on the subject of money: “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin.” This is exactly the kind of teaching we would expect from an apostle charged with communicating Jesus’ Gospel to the world. St. Paul goes on with another sober warning: “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.”

Now begins our reading: “But you, man of God, pursue righteousness.” Our passage contains the antidote to love of money, which is love of virtue. Here, St. Paul urges St. Timothy to “lay hold of eternal life.” This is the heavenly perspective that will keep love of money in check. This is the life the rich man in the Gospel ignored, the life of “righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.”

Why should we be willing to live this way? Because we know that “God is [our] help,” as the name “Lazarus” says, and that we are awaiting “the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ…To Him be honor and eternal power. Amen.”

Possible response: St. Paul, pray that I can mortify love of money in me whenever it appears; help me protect my heart from its “many pangs.”

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