Daily Readings - Sun Sep 25 2022
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 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.