Texts taken from the “On Your Word” daily missal, September-October 2022
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
2nd week of the Psalter
FIRST READING
From the Book of the Prophet Amos (Am 6:1a, 4-7)
Woe to those who are complacent in Zion and to those who feel secure on Mount Samaria! Lying on beds of ivory and stretched out on their couches, they eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. They sing idle songs to the sound of the harp; like David, they improvise on musical instruments. They drink wine from large bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not concerned about the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the deportees, and the revelry of the revelers shall cease. - The word of the Lord.
Commentary on the first reading
This reading describes situations of yesterday and today with great intensity and vigor. The prophet harshly criticizes the corruption of Israel’s ruling class, which takes advantage of its social position and has no concern for the common good. Amos does not act out of self-interest; rather, he truly becomes God’s voice on behalf of the poorest and of those who trust in the Lord, even as they experience hardship and injustice, poverty and destitution. What matters to Amos is a vision of faith, the importance of returning to live out the demands of the covenant and to practice justice. The leaders of Israel, on the other hand, enjoy life, unconcerned with suffering and even less with the unhappiness of the poor, the excluded and the oppressed. Faced with this superficiality dictated by their selfishness, the prophet announces enemy conquest and exile as punishment. When this event occurs, they themselves will be the first to be struck. In this context, the prophet’s message is an invitation to change their way of thinking and fully accept their responsibilities.
SECOND READING
From the first letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to Timothy (1 Tm 6:11-16)
But you, man of God, avoid these things. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who gave the good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep the commandment without stain and irreproachably until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will reveal at the proper time - the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light: no human being has ever seen him or can see him. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.- The word of the Lord.
Commentary on the second reading
We are not born men and women of God; we become so by choosing Christ at every moment of life. For this reason, Christian life is a battle, a struggle that takes place first and foremost in one’s own heart. In this regard, there is a book written in the 1600s by Father Lorenzo Scupoli entitled “The Spiritual Combat,” in which he offers guidance on how to face the good fight of faith on one’s journey. Saint Francis de Sales, who knew Father Scupoli personally (he became a point of reference for him), read this text every day and also recommended it to his spiritual children. Through a daily inner struggle, he managed to master his impulsive and irritable temperament, to the point of becoming known as the saint of gentleness, sweetness and kindness. Thus, the Christian life received in Baptism is a gift from God, but it is also an achievement and a commitment that requires us to undertake a struggle in order to welcome and make fruitful the Word of God sown in our hearts. It is not only Timothy who must fight “the good fight of faith”; each one of us must do so as well.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 16:19-31)
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off, with Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” - The Gospel of the Lord.
Commentary on the Gospel of the day
The Gospel shows us two situations. The first takes place during life and shows us “the rich man,” who is nameless, living in luxury and feasting lavishly, and the poor man “Lazarus,” whose name means “God helps,” sitting at the rich man’s gate. The second scene takes place in the afterlife: after death, Lazarus is in blessedness and the rich man is in torment. It is not said that a rich person (simply because he has a lot of money) is necessarily selfish; just as no one guarantees that a poor person (simply because he has little money) is not selfish. Lazarus enjoys God’s blessing not because he is poor, but because of the way he lives in his poverty. In him, in fact, we find no words of hatred or cursing, but only gentleness. The rich man is not condemned for his wealth, but for the way he lived it. Wealth in itself is not evil; if it is shared, it becomes a great opportunity for the good and well-being of all. The evil lies in indifference, greed, selfishness, living for oneself and putting others at one’s service, and failing to see the other person in their dignity as a human being. Let us orient our life choices toward mercy, so that we may learn to look upon the poor with respect and care for them with selfless love.
