"If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, 

                                                                                                                they will not be convinced, 

                                                                                                                      even if someone rises from the dead."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊                                                                                                                                                                               

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

Woe to those proud people who live,

Overconfident on the hill of Samaria! You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and sprawl on your couches; you eat lamb from the flock and veal from calves fattened in the stall.

 You strum on your harps, and like David, try out new musical instruments.

You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruins of Joseph.

 Therefore you will be the first to go into exile; and the feast of sprawlers will be over.

 

Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Praise the Lord, my soul.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Timothy6: 11-16

 But you, man of God, shun all this. Strive to be holy and godly. Live in faith and love, with endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith and win everlasting life to which you were called when you made the good profession of faith in the presence of so many witnesses.

Now, in the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who gave the good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I command you to keep the commandment. Keep your­self pure and blameless until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, which God will bring about at the proper time, he, the magnificent sovereign, King of kings and Lord of lords. To him, alone immortal, who lives in unapproachable light and whom no one has ever seen or can see, to him be honor and power for ever and ever. Amen!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

  Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted every day.   At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores,   who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man’s table. Even dogs used to come and lick his sores.  It happened that the poor man died and angels carried him to take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.   From hell where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with him Lazarus at rest.

  He called out: ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus with the tip of his finger dipped in water to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire.’

  Abraham replied: ‘My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off while the lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort and you are in agony.   But that is not all. Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can cross over from here to you or from your side to us.’

 The rich man implored once more: ‘Then I beg you, Father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my father’s house   where my five brothers live. Let him warn them so that they may not end up in this place of torment.’  Abraham replied: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’   But the rich man said: ‘No, Father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

 Abraham said: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be con­vinced even if someone rises from the grave.’”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Intentions vs Actions

Read: Amos condemns those who live a luxurious life without a care for others. Paul exhorts Timothy to be pure and blameless before God. Jesus gives us the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, to remind us that we are indeed our brothers and sisters’ keepers.

Reflect: There is something noble about the rich man in today’s parable. He is languishing in the netherworld; but he has no attack of envy or fury, seeing Lazarus in heaven. He even knows Lazarus by name! Further, even when he is burning in hell, he thinks of his brothers and wants them to be spared of the same fate!

If we were to meet this guy while he was alive on earth, he would definitely come across as gentle, caring, and courteous. He could even pass off as a diplomat in the United Nations, working for world peace! Yet, he has ended up in hell! Perhaps the lesson is this: None of our best intentions or chapter documents or wonderfully conceived sustainable developmental goals would suffice in the kingdom: what is needed is concrete action on the ground, wiping the tears of the neighbors, caring for their needs.

Pray: Identify the needs someone around you and pray for him/her.

Act: …. And provide for him/her.