Daily Readings - Sun Sep 29 2019
Amos
1Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!4You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.5You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.6You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.7Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
1 Timothy
11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,15which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
Luke
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'30"'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises 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.