Pastor’s Pen
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sept. 25, 2022
St. Augustine’s Catholic Church
“You received what was good, Lazarus what was bad;
now he is comforted, whereas you are tormented.”
Every Sunday or at any other time we gather at Mass, we listen to the Sacred Word of God from the Old and the New Testaments where Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to us the message of our salvation. Today, especially, in the gospel he tells us of the story of a rich man who used to dress in fine linen clothes and dines sumptuously each day. Beside him was a poor man named Lazarus covered with sores and who looked to be given at least the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. He didn’t get that either, rather dogs came to lick his sores. The poor man, Lazarus, died and was carried by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. This rich man also died and was buried. From there he raised his eyes and saw Abraham with Lazarus at his side. He cried out to Abraham to send Lazarus to dip his finger into water to cool his tongue for he was suffering torment in the flames.
Abraham replied, “My child, remember that you had good things in your lifetime on earth, while Lazarus had it bad. He is now being comforted here whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you there is a great chasm so that no one can cross to either side from you to us or we to you.”
What does Our Lord want to tell us from this example in this simple story. It is that we have an obligation to help one another in charity, especially those in need. The one you helped today in great need may be the one who helps you tomorrow. But if he/she didn’t directly help you, God will pay you back in another way.
We remember the teaching of Christ about the day of last judgement: I was hungry, you gave me food, thirsty, you gave me to drink, a stranger, you welcomed me, sick and in prison, you visited me, etc. They would ask, “When did we find you in this condition and did these to you? He would say, “Truly I say to you as often as you did these to those that believe in Me, you did it to Me. While those who would fail to do so he would say to them, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ( Matthew 25 :36).
Fr. Chris
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