Homily— September 25 & 26, 2016
The Prophet Amos warns us not to become complacent. The dictionary defines it as self-satisfied. I don’t think I would like a bed of ivory although it might be very expensive and beautiful. I would want a bed that is comfortable and helps me to have a good night’s sleep. Amos describes a people who are eating the choicest food and drinking the best wine even as Joseph suffers.
The evil of the life of pleasure described here is not the self-indulgence itself so much as the refusal to notice or care about what has happened to Israel
A part of our challenge in life is to look at our spending habits and recognize the difference between what we want and what we need. I made a conscious effort on our pilgrimage to Italy to not buy and ended up with some small religious items and a hat. Then I saw another hat I wanted at the O’Hare airport but they wanted $30 for it. I found a similar one at K-Mart for $15. I needed the Italian hat to cover my head from the sun but I wanted the Cub hat to support my team!!
Timothy writes that we should compete for the faith. Strive for righteousness, be devoted to God and the saints, have faith. show your love, be patient and gentle with ourselves and others. For me to do this means taking time to be with God in prayer, reading the Bible and reflecting on it, being aware of those around me.
In the gospel the rich man in no way mistreated Lazarus. He did not run Lazarus off nor have him arrested. The rich man did not hassle Lazarus at all. The sin of the rich man was not mistreatment; his sin was not noticing Lazarus. How many of us look the other way and act as if the poor and the beggar were not there. In Italy we had people begging at some of the churches we visited. When you have a lot of people asking you for a handout it is easy to become callous because you cannot help everyone. The challenge is to be aware of how you can share your blessings and help some people in need.
The rich man knew who the poor man was and called him by his name of Lazarus. He could have had compassion upon Lazarus and then has the nerve to ask God to send Lazarus to bring him some water. It is important to remember that we need to be aware of those in need and to help them while we are alive.
Let us keep the needs of those who are suffering from the flooding in Iowa in our prayers and do what we can to help them recover. Financial help can be given to Catholic Charities for flood relief.
Take time to reflect on how you treat those around you—especially someone who serves you in some way.
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time September 25, 2016
Reading 1 Am 6:1a, 4-7
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
- (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul! R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 1 Tm 6:11-16
Alleluia Cf. 2 Cor 8:9
- Alleluia, alleluia. Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Gospel Lk 16:19-31