26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Faith Demands Action

The Catholic Mass readings for September 28, 2025, the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, offer a powerful reflection on justice, compassion, and the call to live a life of faith that actively responds to the needs of others. The readings are Amos 6:1a, 4-7; Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; and Luke 16:19-31. Below is a reflection based on these readings.

The readings for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time challenge us to examine our priorities and how we respond to the suffering around us. They call us to move beyond complacency and self-interest, urging us to live with justice, mercy, and fidelity to God’s commandments.

The first reading from Amos 6:1a, 4-7 delivers a stark warning to those who live in comfort while ignoring the suffering of others. The prophet Amos condemns the wealthy who indulge in luxury—lying on ivory beds, feasting on fine foods, and drinking wine from bowls—while remaining indifferent to the "collapse of Joseph," a reference to the suffering of God’s people. Their self-absorption leads to exile, a consequence of their failure to heed God’s call to justice. This reading reminds us that wealth and comfort are not inherently wrong, but they become sinful when they blind us to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. It prompts us to ask: Are we aware of the suffering around us, or are we too comfortable in our own lives to notice?

The responsorial Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 echoes this theme of God’s care for the marginalized. It praises the Lord who “secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry,” and “sets prisoners free.” The psalm invites us to align our hearts with God’s heart, to see the world through His eyes, and to act with compassion toward those in need. It’s a call to trust in God’s faithfulness and to participate in His mission of lifting up the lowly.

In the second reading, 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Paul exhorts Timothy to pursue “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” and to “fight the good fight of faith.” This passage emphasizes the active nature of Christian life. Faith is not passive; it requires us to strive for virtue and to remain faithful to God’s commandments until Christ’s return. Paul’s charge to Timothy is a reminder that our faith must shape our actions, directing us toward a life of integrity and service, even in the face of worldly temptations or distractions.

The Gospel from Luke 16:19-31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, brings these themes into sharp focus. The rich man, who lives in luxury, ignores Lazarus, a poor man covered in sores lying at his gate. Both die, and their fates are reversed: Lazarus is carried to Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man suffers in torment. The rich man’s sin is not his wealth but his indifference—he fails to see or help Lazarus, despite his obvious need. The parable underscores that faith demands action. As Abraham tells the rich man, his brothers have “Moses and the prophets” to guide them, yet they, like the rich man, risk ignoring God’s call to compassion. Even a dramatic sign, like someone rising from the dead, will not convince those who harden their hearts.

This parable challenges us to reflect on who the “Lazarus” figures are in our lives—those we might overlook because of our busyness, comfort, or self-centeredness. It calls us to open our eyes and hearts to the poor, the marginalized, and the suffering, recognizing that our response to them reflects our relationship with God. The readings together remind us that Christian discipleship is not just about personal piety but about living out God’s justice and mercy in tangible ways.

Purgatory in Light of the Readings: The Gospel’s depiction of the rich man’s torment and Lazarus’ rest in Abraham’s bosom invites reflection on the Catholic teaching of purgatory. Purgatory is a state of purification for those who die in God’s grace but are not yet fully perfected in love and holiness (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030-1032). The rich man’s suffering in the Gospel, while traditionally understood as a depiction of hell, can also prompt us to consider the purifying suffering of purgatory for those who have lived imperfectly but are still destined for heaven. Unlike the rich man, whose fate seems fixed due to his unrepentant indifference, souls in purgatory are assured of salvation but undergo cleansing to prepare for the fullness of God’s presence. This teaching reminds us of God’s mercy, offering hope that our imperfections can be purified through His grace. The parable also underscores the urgency of living justly and compassionately in this life, as our choices have eternal consequences. 

We are called to pray for the souls in purgatory, especially through acts of charity and offering Masses, trusting that God’s mercy continues to work in their purification. This connects to the readings’ emphasis on justice and compassion, urging us to act now to alleviate suffering, both for the living and for those in purgatory who rely on our prayers.These readings call us to conversion—to turn away from selfishness and toward a life of generosity, compassion, and fidelity to God’s will. We might ask: How do I respond to the needs around me? Am I complacent, like the wealthy in Amos’ time, or indifferent, like the rich man? Do I pursue the virtues Paul describes? The call to pray for the souls in purgatory further deepens our responsibility to live in solidarity with others, both in this life and beyond.

As we reflect on these readings, we might ask ourselves: How do I respond to the needs around me? Am I complacent, like the wealthy in Amos’ time, or indifferent, like the rich man in the Gospel? Do I pursue the virtues Paul describes, actively seeking to live out my faith? The readings call us to conversion—to turn away from selfishness and toward a life of generosity, compassion, and fidelity to God’s will.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see those in need around me. Grant me a heart of compassion and the courage to act with justice and love. Help me to pursue righteousness and godliness, trusting in Your grace to guide me. May I live each day in a way that honors You and lifts up the poor and suffering. Amen.

 

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Comfort in the Lord

Today's readings remind us not to forget the poor nor become selfish if we are rich.  We are not called for comfort in this world.


In the first reading, God tells us of the complacency in Zion. The people got wealthy. They lived comfortable lives with beds of ivory, eating lambs and enjoying the high life.  The people drank the best wines and anointed themselves with the best oils or perfumes.  He tells them that they will be the first to go into exile and that their revelry will be done away with. Zion forgot its humble beginnings. The people of Jerusalem in Israel forgot the times they were under chains living in the desert and in poverty (Exodus 14:30).  God provided for them (Exodus 16:4). They are now established in the holy land and feel they are entitled to the best the earth had to offer at the time (Exodus 16:35).  We must not become like them (Psalm 106). We must not become too comfortable in this world. Unfortunately, our Catholic Church has gotten too comfortable in the world. Recently, we have learned of bishops living in luxury spending large amounts of money on private jets, alcohol, hotels, huge mansions, jewelry and what not. The same has been discovered among priests, deacons and even religious who have taken vows of poverty. This is not what Christ wants. Christ wants simplicity. This is why our Holy Father has criticized those who use the priesthood as a career. He recently voiced his concerned over young rigid priests who love to wear saturnos and other regalia from the past. While these things are not bad in themselves, the intention behind using them can be bad.


Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI have reminded us of this many times. Benedict XVI reminded us that we forgot our evangelization zeal.  He also stated, “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."  We are not going out into the world as we should in order to preach the Gospel.  Instead, we sit in our parishes and wait for people to show up on schedule. Then when they do not show up, we wonder what happened and begin to shut down parishes.  Pope Francis reminds us that we have locked ourselves up in the walls of rectories and the like.  We are not going out there getting the scent of the sheep, so to speak.  We are not going out there reaching out to the one sheep that got away (Matthew 18:12).  I say "we" because of the "pastoral sloth," as I call it, not only rests on the clergy but on all of us, religious or lay. We all have an obligation to evangelize depending on our state in life. Our Church has gotten too comfortable. We have gotten too comfortable with man-made governments. We have gotten too comfortable with the customs of societies where Mass times are altered to fit our work schedules rather than the other way around.  Which is more important!?  The new Zion, our Catholic Church must get out of the ivory bed and be as Jesus was who had no place to rest His head (Matthew 8:20). The beautiful Church buildings and artistic wealth the Church has is fine and dandy, but at the end, God has no need of it (Acts 7:48). He prefers having His children back (2 Chronicles 7:14). This should be our focus. If we do not evangelize, we will be left with these beautiful buildings empty and ready to be sold in order to become parking lots or apartments.


The Church must be poor, as our Holy Father Pope Francis has said numerous times. She must be a field hospital, not a Hilton hotel. Our clergy must be shepherds, not princes or lords.  We must concern ourselves with evangelization, bringing souls home to God, especially our own. Blessed indeed is he who keeps the faith forever, as the responsorial Psalm tells us.  He is the one who secures justice for the oppressed and feeds the hungry. We must help others, especially the stranger (Exodus 22:21-22, Hebrews 13:2). It pains me to see on Twitter and other social networks how some Protestant conservative Christians attacked the young boy in the ambulance who was rescued after an attack in Aleppo, Syria. People tweeted that the boy should have died.  Others say, that his life is no concern of ours; that we have our own children to worry about.  These people dare to call themselves Christians and bible-believers!  How dare they!?  This attitude goes against Christ (Jeremiah 22:3, Matthew 19:14)). We must care for one another whether citizen, illegal immigrant or refugee. Granted, we must do so safely and with prudence, but the help must always be there. God gives the blind sight (Luke 4:18).  Raises those who are made to bow down (James 4:10). He is always there for the stranger and just.  We must imitate God and be there for the pariahs of the world. We must lead by example, as the second reading tells us (Titus 2:7).


The second reading should be meditated upon by all of us, especially the clergy.  The men and women of God must pursue righteousness, not their egos.  They must have devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  They must be a well for the faith so that others can come drink and be quenched of their thirst (Matthew 5:16). Priests must not be rude, nasty, egotistical or maniacal (1 Timothy 3). They must be humble and kind, bearing things for the sake of Christ and His priesthood (Titus 1:5-9, Proverbs 27:23).  This goes for all of us as well.  I mention the clergy specifically because they are the official representatives of the Church. It takes just one nasty bad-attitude priest to scare one or more from God and the Church.  This is not what a priest is supposed to do. A shepherd protects the flock, not scare it. Only the wolf does that. We all must lay hold of eternal life which can only be found in Christ present in the Eucharist, the bread of life (John 6:35).  A holy bishop I worked for years ago as a master of ceremony told me that a great priest is made when he is devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady. He is 100% correct. Priests who follow this model go on to become holy men. This is also applicable to religious and the laity. We must be devoted to Christ in the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady. Next month is October, the month of the Rosary. I recommend this prayer to every Catholic.  This week, we celebrated the feast day of St. Pio of Pietrelcena (read more on him here: http://www.sacerdotus.com/2014/09/padre-pio.html). This humble Franciscan Friar from the Capuchin branch of the Order of Friars minor was devoted to the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady. It is no wonder that he became a saint because of his focus on Jesus and Mary. Jesus and Mary is the reason the Catholic Church exists; the reason the Bible exists. God promised Adam and Eve that the woman will come who will bear the child who will crush the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). It is clear that Jesus and Mary are the center of it all. In them, we restore the image of God that we are supposed to be (Genesis 1:27). We grow in grace and learn to love one another while at the same time avoiding becoming the rich man we will read about in the Gospel.


In the Gospel, Jesus tells us of the rich man and Lazarus. The Church Fathers debated as to whether this was a parable or based on historical figures. They argued that in parables, Jesus never used names. However, in this case, he gives the name of Lazarus which may indicate that this poor man did exist and Jesus used his life and circumstance to tell the parable. In any event, we must understand and focus on the purpose of the parable. There was a rich man who wore purple garments and had great dinners each day.  At the rich man's door was Lazarus, a leper covered with sores. This man was ignored by the rich man who left him outside desiring even the scraps that fell from the rich man's table as dogs licked his sores.  The sight must have been ghastly. Eventually, the poor man Lazarus passed away.  He was taken to the bosom of Abraham by the angels.  Some scholars believe this bosom is a reference to purgatory. We can assume this because if the only "places" that exist outside of earth is heaven and hell, then what is this bosom of Abraham?  Clearly, there is another "place" or state of being. Anyhow, the rich man eventually died as well and was taken to the netherworld or hell.  There he suffered and was in torment.  He looked up and saw Abraham and cried out, "Father Abraham, have pity on me."  Clearly, the rich man was in hell since he had to look up to Abraham who is called "Father."  Our Protestant brethren often have an issue with us calling our priests and pope "father."  Clearly, this was no issue for Jesus who used the title for Abraham. Abraham is our father in faith just like the pope and our priests are (1 Corinthians 4:15).


The rich man saw Lazarus with Abraham and asked him to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger with water in order to cool his tongue.  He has some nerve!  While on earth, he denied Lazarus even the crumbs from his dinner table, yet wanted Lazarus to bring him water on his finger tip!  This tells us how out of touch this rich man was.  However, Abraham was not having it and told him, "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, where you are tormented." Then he tells the rich man that a chasm was created to prevent souls from crossing to either state (heaven, hell, purgatory). This verse shows proof that there are other states. It is not just heaven and hell like our separated brethren in the Protestant faith believe. This passage is also erroneously interpreted by the Orthodox Church when they claim that souls can be released from hell. Hell is permanent.  It is the consequence of our choices.  The rich man realized that after life there are consequences to what we do or not do on earth.  He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house so he can warn his five brothers about hell.


Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the prophets to listen to via the Torah.  However, the rich man insists that an apparition or the resurrection of a dead Lazarus would be more effective. Abraham replies that if they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, that they will not listen to anyone who will rise from the dead. These are powerful words.  They remind me of atheists who will argue against you for the sake of arguing.  They will not accept anything you tell them or show them in regards to God and religion.  Some even will not believe unless they see an old man with a white beard sitting on a throne above the earth!  St. Thomas Aquinas tells us, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”  We must avoid getting into arguments with a contrarian fool (Proverbs 26:4-14, Proverbs 29:9).  This rich man represents those with no faith and those who are lukewarm.  We must not be like him.  Our faith must be sincere.  We have the Church, Sacred Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium or Sacred Deposit.  There is nothing more that we need. We must not pick and choose what we want to accept. As the late Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor of New York said,"The Church is not a salad bar, from which to pick and choose what pleases you." We must accept the whole meal and accept suffering just as Lazarus did.  He trusted in God's words.


The rich man was not condemned to hell for being rich.  What condemned him was his selfishness.  He had enough to help Lazarus but did not.  God gives wealth so that it may be used for good (Deuteronomy 8:18, Ecclesiastes 6:2).  St. Pope John Paul II tells us, "Was the rich man condemned because he had riches because he abounded in earthly possessions because he "dressed in purple and linen and feasted splendidly every day?" No, I would say that it was not for this reason. The rich man was condemned because he did not pay attention to the other man. Because he failed to take notice of Lazarus, the person who sat at his door and who longed to eat the scraps from his table. Nowhere does Christ condemn the mere possession of earthly goods as such.  Instead, he pronounces very harsh words against those who use their possessions in a selfish way, without paying attention to the needs of others. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the words: "Blessed are the poor in spirit". And at the end of the account of the Last Judgment as found in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus speaks the words that we all know so well: "I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was away from home and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing. I was ill and in prison and you did not come and comfort me" (Mt 25:42–43). The parable of the rich man and Lazarus must always be present in our memory; it must form our conscience. Christ demands openness to our brothers and sisters in need—openness from the rich, the affluent, the economically advanced; openness to the poor, the underdeveloped and the disadvantaged. Christ demands an openness that is more than benign attention, more than token actions or half-hearted efforts that leave the poor as destitute as before or even more so.(Apostolic Journey to the United States of America, Holy Mass at Yankee Stadium, New York City, October 2, 1979)"  We must not be selfish. If we have wealth, we should try our best to help others, especially those in dire need. This is why I am always asking readers to help me expand this ministerial work by donating at my PayPal or gofundme.com/sacerdotus so that I can reach more people and those who donate can add to their "books" the good works necessary for salvation in conjunction with faith and grace.


This book is what God will read, the book of our lives.  We want the pages in the book of our lives to be added to the book of life (Daniel 12:1, Luke 10:20, Revelation 20:15, Philippians 4:3).  St. Augustine tells us, "Jesus kept quiet about the rich man's name and mentioned the name of the poor man. The rich man's name was thrown around, but God kept quiet about it. The other's name was lost in silence, and God spoke it. Please do not be surprised. God just read out what was written in his book. You see, God who lives in heaven kept quiet about the rich man's name because he did not find it written in heaven. He spoke the poor man's name because he found it written there, indeed he gave instructions for it to be written there. ("Sermon 33A.4", quoted in Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 261.)"  Having wealth is not a bad in itself.  It is how we make use of it that determines whether it is bad or not. Donating to help the poor, our parishes or helping me expand this evangelization work pleases God.  This is because in giving, we show detachment from material goods. They do not control us. We do not worship it as master like last Sunday's readings warn us against. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI tells us, "In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus admonishes us through the image of a soul destroyed by arrogance and opulence, who has created an impassable chasm between himself and the poor man; the chasm of being trapped within material pleasures; the chasm of forgetting the other, of incapacity to love, which then becomes a burning and unquenchable thirst. (Spe Salvi, 44)"  We must help others, especially the poor and less fortunate in the eyes of the world. Our riches are not secured in heaven (Matthew 19-21). We cannot take anything to heaven, not even our bodies.  This is why we must make good use of our material goods by helping others.  Those who give will receive (Luke 6:38).  Today is also the feast day of the archangels, Michael, Rafael and Gabriel, or Michaelmas. Let us pray to St. Michael that he may cast out satan who is in the Church causing trouble. Let us ask him to stand up for the poor and others who have no voice. Let us pray to St. Raphael that we may bring healing to others and to St. Gabriel that we may announce the Gospel to those we come into contact with. St. Gabriel was the first to say the "Hail Mary." Marian devotion is important and was taught to us by an archangel. May Jesus Christ be praised!






Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092516.cfm


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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Seek the Real Comfort

Today's readings remind us not to forget the poor nor become selfish if we are rich.  We are not called for comfort in this world. 

In the first reading, God tells us of the complacency in Zion. The people got wealthy. They lived comfortable lives with beds of ivory, eating lambs and enjoying the high life.  The people drank the best wines and anointed themselves with the best oils or perfumes.  He tells them that they will be the first to go into exile and that their revelry will be done away with. Zion forgot its humble beginnings. The people of Jerusalem in Israel forgot the times they were under chains living in the desert and in poverty (Exodus 14:30).  God provided for them (Exodus 16:4). They are now established in the holy land and feel they are entitled to the best the earth had to offer at the time (Exodus 16:35).  We must not become like them (Psalm 106). We must not become too comfortable in this world. Unfortunately, our Catholic Church has gotten too comfortable in the world.

Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI have reminded us of this many times. Benedict XVI reminded us that we forgot our evangelization zeal.  He also stated, “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."  We are not going out into the world as we should in order to preach the Gospel.  Instead, we sit in our parishes and wait for people to show up on schedule. Then when they do not show up, we wonder what happened and begin to shut down parishes.  Pope Francis reminds us that we have locked ourselves up in the walls of rectories and the like.  We are not going out there getting the scent of the sheep, so to speak.  We are not going out there reaching out to the one sheep that got away (Matthew 18:12).  I say "we" because of the "pastoral sloth," as I call it, not only rests on the clergy but on all of us, religious or lay. We all have an obligation to evangelize depending on our state in life. Our Church has gotten too comfortable. We have gotten too comfortable with man-made governments. We have gotten too comfortable with the customs of societies where Mass times are altered to fit our work schedules rather than the other way around.  Which is more important!?  The new Zion, our Catholic Church must get out of the ivory bed and be as Jesus was who had no place to rest His head (Matthew 8:20). The beautiful Church buildings and artistic wealth the Church has is fine and dandy, but at the end, God has no need of it (Acts 7:48). He prefers having His children back (2 Chronicles 7:14). This should be our focus. If we do not evangelize, we will be left with these beautiful buildings empty and ready to be sold in order to become parking lots or apartments.

The Church must be poor, as our Holy Father Pope Francis has said numerous times. She must be a field hospital, not a Hilton hotel. Our clergy must be shepherds, not princes or lords.  We must concern ourselves with evangelization, bringing souls home to God, especially our own. Blessed indeed is he who keeps the faith forever, as the responsorial Psalm tells us.  He is the one who secures justice for the oppressed and feeds the hungry. We must help others, especially the stranger (Exodus 22:21-22, Hebrews 13:2). It pains me to see on Twitter and other social networks how some Protestant conservative Christians attacked the young boy in the ambulance who was rescued after an attack in Aleppo, Syria. People tweeted that the boy should have died.  Others say, that his life is no concern of ours; that we have our own children to worry about.  These people dare to call themselves Christians and bible-believers!  How dare they!?  This attitude goes against Christ (Jeremiah 22:3, Matthew 19:14)). We must care for one another whether citizen, illegal immigrant or refugee. Granted, we must do so safely and with prudence, but the help must always be there. God gives the blind sight (Luke 4:18).  Raises those who are made to bow down (James 4:10). He is always there for the stranger and just.  We must imitate God and be there for the pariahs of the world. We must lead by example, as the second reading tells us (Titus 2:7).

The second reading should be meditated upon by all of us, especially the clergy.  The men and women of God must pursue righteousness, not their egos.  They must have devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  They must be a well for the faith so that others can come drink and be quenched of their thirst (Matthew 5:16). Priests must not be rude, nasty, egotistical or maniacal (1 Timothy 3). They must be humble and kind, bearing things for the sake of Christ and His priesthood (Titus 1:5-9, Proverbs 27:23).  This goes for all of us as well.  I mention the clergy specifically because they are the official representatives of the Church. It takes just one nasty bad-attitude priest to scare one or more from God and the Church.  This is not what a priest is supposed to do. A shepherd protects the flock, not scare it. Only the wolf does that. We all must lay hold of eternal life which can only be found in Christ present in the Eucharist, the bread of life (John 6:35).  A holy bishop I worked for years ago as a master of ceremony told me that a great priest is made when he is devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady. He is 100% correct. Priests who follow this model go on to become holy men. This is also applicable to religious and the laity. We must be devoted to Christ in the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady. Next month is October, the month of the Rosary. I recommend this prayer to every Catholic.  This week, we celebrated the feast day of St. Pio of Pietrelcena (read more on him here: http://www.sacerdotus.com/2014/09/padre-pio.html). This humble Franciscan Friar from the Capuchin branch of the Order of Friars minor was devoted to the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady. It is no wonder that he became a saint because of his focus on Jesus and Mary. Jesus and Mary is the reason the Catholic Church exists; the reason the Bible exists. God promised Adam and Eve that the woman will come who will bear the child who will crush the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). It is clear that Jesus and Mary are the center of it all. In them, we restore the image of God that we are supposed to be (Genesis 1:27). We grow in grace and learn to love one another while at the same time avoiding becoming the rich man we will read about in the Gospel.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us of the rich man and Lazarus. The Church Fathers debated as to whether this was a parable or based on historical figures. They argued that in parables, Jesus never used names. However, in this case, he gives the name of Lazarus which may indicate that this poor man did exist and Jesus used his life and circumstance to tell the parable. In any event, we must understand and focus on the purpose of the parable. There was a rich man who wore purple garments and had great dinners each day.  At the rich man's door was Lazarus, a leper covered with sores. This man was ignored by the rich man who left him outside desiring even the scraps that fell from the rich man's table as dogs licked his sores.  The sight must have been ghastly. Eventually, the poor man Lazarus passed away.  He was taken to the bosom of Abraham by the angels.  Some scholars believe this bosom is a reference to purgatory. We can assume this because if the only "places" that exist outside of earth is heaven and hell, then what is this bosom of Abraham?  Clearly, there is another "place" or state of being. Anyhow, the rich man eventually died as well and was taken to the netherworld or hell.  There he suffered and was in torment.  He looked up and saw Abraham and cried out, "Father Abraham, have pity on me."  Clearly, the rich man was in hell since he had to look up to Abraham who is called "Father."  Our Protestant brethren often have an issue with us calling our priests and pope "father."  Clearly, this was no issue for Jesus who used the title for Abraham. Abraham is our father in faith just like the pope and our priests are (1 Corinthians 4:15).

The rich man saw Lazarus with Abraham and asked him to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger with water in order to cool his tongue.  He has some nerve!  While on earth, he denied Lazarus even the crumbs from his dinner table, yet wanted Lazarus to bring him water on his finger tip!  This tells us how out of touch this rich man was.  However, Abraham was not having it and told him, "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, where you are tormented." Then he tells the rich man that a chasm was created to prevent souls from crossing to either state (heaven, hell, purgatory).  The rich man realized that after life there are consequences to what we do or not do on earth.  He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house so he can warn his five brothers about hell.

Abraham tells him that they have Moses and the prophets to listen to via the Torah.  However, the rich man insists that an apparition or the resurrection of a dead Lazarus would be more effective. Abraham replies that if they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, that they will not listen to anyone who will rise from the dead. These are powerful words.  They remind me of atheists who will argue against you for the sake of arguing.  They will not accept anything you tell them or show them in regards to God and religion.  Some even will not believe unless they see an old man with a white beard sitting on a throne above the earth!  St. Thomas Aquinas tells us, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”  We must avoid getting into arguments with a contrarian fool (Proverbs 26:4-14, Proverbs 29:9).  This rich man represents those with no faith and those who are lukewarm.  We must not be like him.  Our faith must be sincere.  We have the Church, Sacred Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium or Sacred Deposit.  There is nothing more that we need. We must not pick and choose what we want to accept. As the late Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor of New York said,"The Church is not a salad bar, from which to pick and choose what pleases you." We must accept the whole meal and accept suffering just as Lazarus did.  He trusted in God's words.

The rich man was not condemned to hell for being rich.  What condemned him was his selfishness.  He had enough to help Lazarus but did not.  God gives wealth so that it may be used for good (Deuteronomy 8:18, Ecclesiastes 6:2).  St. Pope John Paul II tells us, "Was the rich man condemned because he had riches because he abounded in earthly possessions because he "dressed in purple and linen and feasted splendidly every day?" No, I would say that it was not for this reason. The rich man was condemned because he did not pay attention to the other man. Because he failed to take notice of Lazarus, the person who sat at his door and who longed to eat the scraps from his table. Nowhere does Christ condemn the mere possession of earthly goods as such.  Instead, he pronounces very harsh words against those who use their possessions in a selfish way, without paying attention to the needs of others. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the words: "Blessed are the poor in spirit". And at the end of the account of the Last Judgment as found in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus speaks the words that we all know so well: "I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was away from home and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing. I was ill and in prison and you did not come and comfort me" (Mt 25:42–43). The parable of the rich man and Lazarus must always be present in our memory; it must form our conscience. Christ demands openness to our brothers and sisters in need—openness from the rich, the affluent, the economically advanced; openness to the poor, the underdeveloped and the disadvantaged. Christ demands an openness that is more than benign attention, more than token actions or half-hearted efforts that leave the poor as destitute as before or even more so.(Apostolic Journey to the United States of America, Holy Mass at Yankee Stadium, New York City, October 2, 1979)"  We must not be selfish. If we have wealth, we should try our best to help others, especially those in dire need. This is why I am always asking readers to help me expand this ministerial work by donating at my PayPal or gofundme.com/sacerdotus so that I can reach more people and those who donate can add to their "books" the good works necessary for salvation in conjunction with faith and grace.

This book is what God will read, the book of our lives.  We want the pages in the book of our lives to be added to the book of life (Daniel 12:1, Luke 10:20, Revelation 20:15, Philippians 4:3).  St. Augustine tells us, "Jesus kept quiet about the rich man's name and mentioned the name of the poor man. The rich man's name was thrown around, but God kept quiet about it. The other's name was lost in silence, and God spoke it. Please do not be surprised. God just read out what was written in his book. You see, God who lives in heaven kept quiet about the rich man's name because he did not find it written in heaven. He spoke the poor man's name because he found it written there, indeed he gave instructions for it to be written there. ("Sermon 33A.4", quoted in Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 261.)"  Having wealth is not a bad in itself.  It is how we make use of it that determines whether it is bad or not. Donating to help the poor, our parishes or helping me expand this evangelization work pleases God.  This is because in giving, we show detachment from material goods. They do not control us. We do not worship it as master like last Sunday's readings warn us against. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI tells us, "In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus admonishes us through the image of a soul destroyed by arrogance and opulence, who has created an impassable chasm between himself and the poor man; the chasm of being trapped within material pleasures; the chasm of forgetting the other, of incapacity to love, which then becomes a burning and unquenchable thirst. (Spe Salvi, 44)"  We must help others, especially the poor and less fortunate in the eyes of the world. Our riches are not secured in heaven (Matthew 19-21). We cannot take anything to heaven, not even our bodies.  This is why we must make good use of our material goods by helping others.  Those who give will receive (Luke 6:38).  May Jesus Christ be praised!





Readings: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092516.cfm

In light of today's readings, please consider donating or becoming a regular benefactor. Donate at my PayPal or www.gofundme.com/sacerdotus.  No amount is too small or too big.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Today's readings deal with Faith and the Resurrection.

The first reading is from the prophet Ezekiel and tells us of how God brings life to those in the grave. God says that He will raise the dead of Israel and bring them back to their land.  Because of this, they will know that He is God.  He then promises that He will put His spirit in them. This is an allusion to the resurrection of Christ. As we know, Jesus was crucified, died and was buried.  However, He rose from the dead. We read in Matthew 27:50-54 how the dead walked out of their graves and entered Jerusalem. This event must have been frightening for those who witnessed it. However, it was not a scary scene like in "The Walking Dead" series. This event was foreshadowed in the first reading where God says that He will raise the dead of Israel and because of this the people will know that He is God.  Ironically, in Matthew 27:54, the centurion and those with him said, "Truly this man was God's son." God is the one who restores life to us both spiritually and physically.  

This brings us to the responsorial psalm which begins with a cry out of the depths to God.  It is a prayer asking God for mercy, redemption and renewal. When we sin, our spiritual lives slowly die. There is nothing worse than a spiritual death.  The human being becomes immoral, not knowing right from wrong.

He or she is lost in darkness and because of this, begins to fall not knowing where he or she is going. The Psalm reminds us that God is the one who saves us.  He is the one who brings us out of the depths of the spiritual grave.  We must trust in Him.

The second reading from Romans tells us that we cannot truly please God if we are in the flesh, or in sin. It is only in living in the Spirit that we truly please God because we are restored with God's grace.  St. Paul makes it clear that if we do not have the Spirit of Christ, then we do not belong to Him.  When we sin, we die spiritually and physically.  This is why St. Paul tells us that the "body is dead because of sin."  Because of sin, we are open to all kinds of ailments and diseases.  Original sin damaged creation and all things exist without the perfection it had prior to the fall of Adam and Eve.  Christ will restore our lives to what they were supposed to be.  He rose from the dead and will give life to our bodies and entire existence as well.

Finally, the Gospel tells us about Lazarus who is the brother of Mary who anointed Jesus with perfumed oil as well as Martha. Lazarus is extremely ill; basically at the point of death.  Jesus is told of the illness and replies that the illness Lazarus is going through is not to end in death but will serve as an example of the glory of God.  In other words, Christ was telling them that He will be using this opportunity to show God's glory via a miracle.

Jesus then plans to go back to Judea where He had some problems with the people.  The disciples advise Jesus not to go because the people will stone Him. Jesus then reminds them that those who walk in light do not stumble basically reminding them that He will be safe.  Then He tells them that Lazarus is "asleep" and He will awaken Him.  They thought He was referring to sleep, but Christ was referring to the fact that Lazarus had passed away.  Jesus knew this despite not being at Lazarus' home.  When Jesus arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had already been buried for four days. Martha and Mary met with Jesus and Martha voiced her frustration to Him telling Him that if He had been there that Lazarus would still be alive.

Nevertheless, she still has faith that whatever Christ asks of God will be granted.  Martha believes in the final resurrection on the last day and Jesus replies saying that He is the resurrection and the life and that those who believe in Him even if they die will live.  Christ then asks Martha if she believes Him and she replies, "Yes, Lord" showing her deep faith. Martha then calls Mary to tell her that Jesus is there and is asking for her.

Mary approaches Christ and falls to His feet voicing her frustrations as well just like Martha did. Next we see Jesus showing His human side.  Despite being the Son of God and the second person of the Blessed Trinity, He becomes "perturbed and deeply troubled" when He sees Mary crying and the Jews who were there crying as well.  He then asks to be taken to where they had laid the remains of Lazarus and they take Him.

Once again we see Jesus shows His humanity. He begins to cry as well.  Here we have God crying. The Jews present ask Jesus "could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?  The people are complaining as well just like Mary and Martha did. Jesus is perturbed again we read, but goes to the tomb to see Lazarus' body. Martha tries to stop Jesus saying that there will be a stench because the body has been there for four days. Jesus reminds her that God will show His glory via the death of Lazarus and calls out "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead corpse once lying in state comes to life and walks out. Imagine the scene for a moment. A man is dead for four days and all of a sudden walks out still wrapped in bands like a mummy of sorts.  Had it been me witnessing this, I probably would have run faster than the cartoon character "Road Runner" and would have been screaming like Mariah Carey!

However, the scene should not bring fright.  It was not a scene of a zombie movie or "The Walking Dead" series.  Lazarus woke from his sleep as Christ said he would.  This Gospel shows not only that Christ is God and that God has power over life and death, but also shows Christ's humanity and genuine love. We also see how the people get frustrated that Jesus did not act quickly in either preventing Lazarus from dying or raising him from the dead.

How many times do we get frustrated when we pray for something and God does not grant it right away or perhaps not in the way we wanted?  This is a natural reaction because we still do not see the full picture.  We are like little impatient kids who feel that waiting just one minute is like a lifetime, so we get frustrated. Our doubts grow just like atheists who see children suffering in the world and quickly declare God as non-existent or uncaring.  Those who let this impatience get the best of them eventually doubt and fall into atheism believing God to not exist.  We must not be like this.

Like Martha and Mary we must have faith. Christ understand us. He shares our joys and pains as we read in the Gospel how He wept despite being God who can do anything.  God does care. He understands what we go through everyday. This is what is unique about the "God of Christianity" as atheists and academics describe Him.  The "God of Christianity" IS GOD. He is not a distant deity who demands sacrifices and does not interact with the people.  Christ is with each of us and shares with us our joys and our pains. The Gospel today is preparing us for Easter Sunday where Christ Himself rises from the dead. Death is something we all suffer. It is hard to get over the death of anyone, family or friend. However, it is our faith in Christ who is the resurrection and life that keeps us focused and of sound mind. We cry and are sad yes, this is a normal human response that even Jesus went through. However, we relax and know that death is not the end. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and will bring back to life those who believed in Him as St. Paul tells us in the second reading.  






Readings:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040614.cfm

Fifth Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 34

Reading 1EZ 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: 
O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 
when I open your graves and have you rise from them, 
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live, 
and I will settle you upon your land; 
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm PS 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R/ (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication. 
R/ With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered. 
R/ With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel wait for the LORD.
R/ With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R/ With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Reading 2 ROM 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; 
on the contrary, you are in the spirit, 
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, 
although the body is dead because of sin, 
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 
the one who raised Christ from the dead 
will give life to your mortal bodies also, 
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Gospel JN 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, 
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil 
and dried his feet with her hair; 
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him, 
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, 
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, 
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles, 
because the light is not in him.” 
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death, 
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe. 
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, 
“Let us also go to die with him.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary 
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this, 
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, 
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village, 
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her 
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her, 
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, 
she fell at his feet and said to him, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, 
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Or JN 11:3-7, 20-27, 33B-45

The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying, 
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death, 
but is for the glory of God, 
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill, 
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples, 
“Let us go back to Judea.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus 
had already been in the tomb for four days.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him; 
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, 
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life; 
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, 
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said, 
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man 
have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, 
“Lord, by now there will be a stench; 
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe 
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said, 
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me; 
but because of the crowd here I have said this, 
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands, 
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.