Daily Readings - Sun Sep 25 2022

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 challenge us to reflect on how we live our lives in relation to God and others. In the first reading from Amos, we hear a stern warning to those who live in luxury and indifference to the suffering of others. Amos condemns the complacent and self-indulgent, who feast on fine foods and drink while ignoring the poor and the afflicted. This passage is set in a time when Israel had turned away from God’s covenant, embracing instead a life of excess and injustice. Amos calls them to repentance, urging them to seek justice and humility rather than material comfort. The second reading from 1 Timothy complements this message by encouraging us to pursue virtue and faith. St. Paul exhorts Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith," to live a life marked by justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, and meekness. This reading reminds us that our ultimate goal is eternal life, and we must remain faithful to God’s commandments, even in the face of challenges. It emphasizes the importance of living a life that reflects our commitment to Christ, who is the source of all life and power. The Gospel from Luke presents the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, a powerful lesson about the consequences of failing to love and serve the poor. The rich man, who lived a life of luxury and ignored Lazarus at his gate, finds himself in torment after death, while Lazarus is comforted in the bosom of Abraham. This parable underscores the reality of judgment and the importance of how we treat others during our time on earth. It warns us that our actions—or inactions—have eternal consequences and that we cannot ignore the needs of those around us. These readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in love and compassion for others. We are called to avoid the trap of complacency and self-indulgence, instead choosing a path of justice, humility, and generosity. Let us ask ourselves: How do I respond to the needs of those around me? Do I use the resources God has given me to serve others, or do I allow myself to become consumed by my own desires? May we strive to live in a way that reflects the love and mercy of God, knowing that our actions will ultimately be measured by how we loved and served Him in the least of His brothers and sisters.