† Sunday, 26 September 2010
In England and Wales – For justice and peace in the world; Harvest Thanksgiving
Keynote: Jesus wants both the rich and poor to be his disciples
Prophet Amos 6: 1, 4-7
A heartfelt warning here from the prophet directed at the idle rich. Directed at them not for being rich, but because they so easily fall into self satisfied take-it-for-granted contentment and so fail to attend to the needs of others. This thought is echoed in the gospel today. ‘Woe to those,’ says Amos ‘Woe to those who feel so safe …lying on their ivory beds, sprawling on their divans, they dine on lambs from the flock, and stall-fattened veal; …they drink wine by the bowlful …use the finest oil for anointing themselves …but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all.’ The indolent rich, lack for nothing apparently, whether food and drink, or expensive cosmetics with which to pamper themselves. But says the prophet, ‘they will be the first to be exiled; the sprawler’s revelry is over.’ It is a warning to all of us whether rich or poor.
Responsorial Psalm 145 (146) – in praise of God’s fidelity and care for us
First Letter of Paul to Timothy 6: 11-16
Paul contrasts the style of the ‘false teachers’, with the behaviour and standards he expects of the true teachers – the leaders – of the local Christian Church. ‘As a man dedicated to God,’ he writes to Timothy, ‘you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle.’ Then reminding Timothy of the profession of faith he made at his baptism Paul says, ‘Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses.’ The apostle urges Timothy, before God, to follow the example of Jesus, ‘who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate.’ This then is the duty of the true disciple. The duty of each one of us until the Lord Jesus appears.
Gospel according to Luke 16: 19-31
Luke is still reminding us what is expected of the true disciple giving us the teaching of Jesus. This ‘example story’ focuses on the rich man, on his five brothers and on us who listen today to the parable.
Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. At his gate there lay a poor man Lazarus covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.’ So who will the five brothers and we, the readers today, imitate? Will we follow the example of the rich man, or will we instead, take to heart the teaching of Jesus, and care for the poor man at our gate? Whatever choice we make, the end of life comes with certainty, ‘Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.’ The real danger for us is that we might ignore the plight of the sick, the poor and the needy around us. It is almost as if we expect, or maybe, even need someone to come from beyond the grave to wake us up to the reality around us. ‘But if someone comes to them from the dead they will repent’, says the rich man in the parable. Maybe, this is the moment of reality for us today, an opportunity.
© 2010 Peter J Harrison
Note
In some pastoral settings a special Mass of Thanksgiving for Harvest may mark this day and selected alternative readings may be authorised.