In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares his Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, a story so well known to us Christians that we might take it for granted. We need to listen to it with fresh ears and an open mind.
The rich man lived a lavish lifestyle. His heart was hardened by his failure to see or acknowledge Lazarus, the poor man who begged at his door. When they both died and entered eternity, the rich man tried to use Lazarus as a means to save his brothers, despite his lack of care for the beggar during his earthly life. That concern for family may have been commendable but it demonstrated his failure to trust God’s word (the reference to Moses and the prophets).
I don’t think the message of this parable is to simply say that the poor will go to heaven and the rich won’t. But perhaps it shakes our complacency as we consider our world today. There are consequences for how we live our lives, not just for ourselves but for others, too.
Jesus teaches us: Be mindful of the poor who are so easily ignored. Without an eye for the needy around us, our lives become empty and self-centered. Jesus identified with the poor, the diseased and the outcast. He walked among of them and brought them hope, even as his presence and his message made the well-to-do squirm and the self-reliant uncomfortable.
This parable reminds us of the huge inequality of people in Jesus’ time, an inequality that still exists today. Jesus issues a challenge: Are we too comfortable in worldly wealth and possessions, in comparison with those in our midst who are barely surviving? Can we open our eyes and our hearts to those on our doorstep, on our city streets, and even in our own families – those who might be forgotten, ignored, and in need?
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Entrance Antiphon All That You Have Done to Us, O Lord (Steve Angrisano, Sarah Hart and Curtis Stephan)
Let Us All Rejoice #175
Today’s Entrance Antiphon from Daniel 3:31 has a rather lengthy text: “All that you have done to us, O Lord, you have done with true judgment, for we have sinned against you and not obeyed your commandments. But give glory to your name and deal with us according to the bounty of your mercy.” You can see how this text dovetails with today’s Gospel teaching on judgment, mercy and compassion.
Entrance Chant Christ, Shine in Our Lives (Chris Muglia)
Breaking Bread #522
Chris Muglia’s song invites us to be a beacon of Christ’s light and compassion for the lost and forsaken, the poor and the widow, the abandoned and the wounded. Christ, Shine in Our Lives!
Responsorial Psalm Praise the Lord, My Soul (Sarah Hart)
Spirit & Psalm 2025: p. 324
The simplicity of Sarah Hart’s verbatim setting underscores Amos’ warning against complacency in the First Reading.
Gospel Acclamation Alleluia: Mass of the Desert (Tom Booth)
Spirit & Psalm 2025: p. 326
This official acclamation verse on Jesus’ poverty helps us to focus on the teaching of today’s Gospel.
Presentation and Preparation of the Gifts The Eyes and Hands of Christ (Tom Kendzia)
Spirit & Song #234; Never Too Young #77; Breaking Bread #499
Tom Kendzia’s song on Christian outreach has become a contemporary classic.
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Communion Antiphon By This We Came to Know the Love of God [Option 2] (Steve Angrisano, Sarah Hart and Curtis Stephan)
Let Us All Rejoice #177
The antiphon text from 1 John 3:16 reminds us to lay down our lives for others, as Christ did for us.
Communion Chant The Feast Meant for Everyone (Tom Booth and Sarah Hart)
Breaking Bread #366
This song emphasizes how everyone is invited to share in the Eucharist, no matter their status or lack thereof.
Sending Forth All That We Have Seen (Sarah Hart)
Breaking Bread #383
“All we have received,” Sarah writes, “may we freely share with every tribe and tongue . . . ‘til all are gathered at the feast of love.” Amen!
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