Daily Readings - Sun Sep 29 2019
Amos
1Woe to you who have been wealthy in Zion, and to you who have confidence in the mountain of Samaria: aristocrats, heads of the people, who advance with a retinue into the house of Israel4You sleep on beds of ivory, and you are lustful on your couches. You devour lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the herd5You sing to the sound of stringed instruments; they consider themselves to have the musical abilities of David6You drink wine in bowls, and you anoint with the best ointments; and they suffer nothing over the grief of Joseph7Because of this, now they will depart at the head of those who go into captivity; and the faction of the lustful will be removed
1 Timothy
11But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and truly pursue justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, meekness12Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you have been called, and make a good profession of faith in the sight of many witnesses13I charge you, in the sight of God, who enlivens all things, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave the testimony of a good profession under Pontius Pilate14to observe the commandment, immaculately, irreproachably, unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ15For at the proper time, he shall reveal the blessed and only Power, the King of kings and the Lord of lords16who alone holds immortality, and who inhabits the inaccessible light, whom no man has seen, nor even is able to see, to whom is honor and everlasting dominion. Amen
Luke
19A certain man was wealthy, and he was clothed in purple and in fine linen. And he feasted splendidly every day20And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores21wanting to be filled with the crumbs which were falling from the wealthy man’s table. But no one gave it to him. And even the dogs came and licked his sores22Then it happened that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Now the wealthy man also died, and he was entombed in Hell23Then lifting up his eyes, while he was in torments, he saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom24And crying out, he said: ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to refresh my tongue. For I am tortured in this fire.25And Abraham said to him: ‘Son, recall that you received good things in your life, and in comparison, Lazarus received bad things. But now he is consoled, and truly you are tormented26And besides all this, between us and you a great chaos has been established, so that those who might want to cross from here to you are not able, nor can someone cross from there to here.27And he said: ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers28so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.29And Abraham said to him: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.30So he said: ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone were to go to them from the dead, they would repent.31But he said to him: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe even if someone has resurrected from the dead.’
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between wealth, justice, and eternal life. In the first reading from Amos, we hear a prophetic warning to those who live in luxury while ignoring the suffering of others. Amos condemns the complacency of the wealthy who indulge in fine foods, music, and comforts while failing to notice the plight of the poor. This passage is set in a time of relative prosperity in Israel, but it was a prosperity that masked deep social inequalities. Amos calls the people back to justice and compassion, reminding them that true faith cannot coexist with indifference to the marginalized.
The Gospel parable of Lazarus and the rich man reinforces this message. The rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen, feasted every day while Lazarus, a beggar covered in sores, lay at his gate. The rich man’s eternal torment is not simply because of his wealth, but because he failed to see Lazarus as a brother worthy of love and dignity. The chasm between the two in the afterlife reflects the chasm the rich man created in life by ignoring Lazarus’ suffering. This parable is not just about wealth and poverty; it is about the moral obligation to recognize the humanity in those around us and to act with compassion.
The second reading from 1 Timothy provides a bridge between these two reflections. It urges us to pursue justice, piety, faith, and charity, and to fight the good fight of faith. This is not a call to perfection but to authenticity. The rich man in the Gospel failed to live authentically because he allowed his wealth to blind him to the needs of others. For us, living authentically means using our resources—whether they be time, talent, or treasure—to serve others and to build a more just world. The moral lesson is clear: our faith is measured not by what we have, but by how we use what we have to love God and neighbor.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Who are the Lazaruses in our lives? Are there people we pass by every day, ignoring their struggles or needs? The readings remind us that our choices have eternal consequences, but they also remind us that it is never too late to change. Let us strive to live with eyes that see, hearts that feel, and hands that serve. In doing so, we not only honor God but also build a world where no one is left at the gate.