Daily Readings - Sun Sep 29 2019
Amos
1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!4That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;6That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.7Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.
1 Timothy
11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.13I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Luke
19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose 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.