Saint Rita Catholic Church and School in Webster, NY - An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings

“Pursue Righteousness, Devotion, Faith, Love, Patience, And Gentleness”

This Sunday's readings warn against the “complacency” of hypocrisy and injustice. It is a continuation of last Sunday’s theme of warnings to those who profit at the expense of others. But we also hear in today’s Epistle what the solution is—pursue righteousness.

Our first reading (Amos 6:1,4-7) is again from the Prophet Amos who prophesied at a time when Israel was enjoying great prosperity, yet ignoring the plight of the poor and the working class. This week's reading adds a blunt warning of woe to those whose life of excess made a mockery of their religion and the gifts God had given them. Amos writes this warning, “Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.”

In our Epistle reading from the end of St. Paul's first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:11-16), we hear how we should live our lives, in stark contrast to the characters in today’s first reading and Gospel. St. Paul always gives us concrete instruction and examples of how we are to live as disciples of Christ. Paul writes, ”Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called.”

Our Gospel reading (Luke 16:19-31) builds on the theme of our first reading and brings it to its natural conclusion - the consequences a life indifferent to those in need. Jesus told a parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus , the poor man lying at the rich man’s door, covered with sores; and how the tables were turned in the afterlife. The final words of the parable offer a prophetic assertion—those who are indifferent to the poor and ignore the warnings of the prophets will not be persuaded by the resurrection of Jesus.

It is not evil to be rich. Wealth, regardless of its form, can be seen as a gift from God which will be multiplied when it is shared with others. Today’s warnings are to those who spend their wealth (monetary or otherwise) exclusively on themselves and do not share their gifts with others, especially those less fortunate. Our readings today beg the question, how do we steward our gifts and our wealth? Will we be persuaded by the one who rose from the dead?

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092825.cfm