Sunday 25 September

Twenty Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Amos 6:1,4-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31

A poor man and a wealthy man

James K. Baxter, a New Zealand poet, wrote a pithy summary of today’s Gospel:

“For Lazarus had crippled bones, but Dives a crippled heart.”

The word ‘Dives’ comes from the Latin for ‘rich man’. The story – like many in Luke’s Gospel – deals with the responsibility to use wealth for the good of all rather than to selfishly monopolise resources for our own benefit alone.

Lazarus is the only character in a parable of Jesus who is named. The name Lazarus means ‘God helps’, ‘God has compassion’. This Sunday’s Psalm has this line: The Lord.. raises up those who are bowed down

Tom Clancy, an Irish priest, made this point – today is an invitation to look again at the Lazarus on our doorstep