September 26, 2010 26th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR       (Cycle - A)      ENTRANCE ANTIPHON O Lord, you had just cause to judge men as you did: because we sinned against you and disobeyed your will. But now show us your greatness of heart, and treat us with your unbounded kindness. PENITENTIAL RITE The rich man of whom Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted magnificently every day, but he ignored the poor man, Lazarus. Being wealthy or not wealthy is not the issue but the indifference of the rich towards the poor. Let us ask ourselves: Am I putting my trust in God or in riches? Do I care about the poor and the needy? Let us ask God’s forgiveness, especially for our insensitivity to the needs of those who are poor and less fortunate. (Pause) I confess... Glory to God... OPENING PRAYER Father, you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness. Continue to fill us with your gifts of love. Help us to hurry toward the eternal life you promise and come to share in the joys of your Kingdom. Grant this... FIRST READING (Prophet Amos speaks against the wealthy of both Judah and Israel. He gives a stern warning to the complacent who live luxuriously and neglect the poor and the needy.) A reading from the Book of Amos    (6:1,4-7) The almighty Lord says this, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria. Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall; who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music; who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those to go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves shall pass away.” This is the Word of the Lord PSALM   (145) Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord. It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed. It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free. R./ It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down. It is the Lord who loves the just, the Lord, who protects the stranger. R./ He upholds the widow and orphan but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Zion’s God, from age to age. R./ SECOND READING (St Paul exhorts Timothy saying: As Jesus was faithful to his call even in the face of hostility that led to his death, so Christians facing persecution should be faithful to God’s call.) A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to Timothy    (6:11-16) As for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen. This is the Word of the Lord ACCLAMATION   (Jn 8:12) Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; he who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia! GOSPEL (The parable of the rich man and Lazarus shows what will happen to the wealthy who do not care for the poor and the needy.) A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke    (16:19-31) Jesus said to the Pharisees, “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man namd Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if somone should rise from the dead’.” This is the Gospel of the Lord I believe in God,/the Father Almighty,/ Creator of heaven and earth./ I believe in Jesus Christ,/his only Son, our Lord./ He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit/ and born of the Virgin Mary./He suffered under Pontius Pilate,/was crucified, died, and was buried./He descended to the dead./On the third day he rose again./He ascended into Heaven,/and is seated at the right hand of the Father./He will come again to judge the living and the dead./I believe in the Holy Spirit,/the Holy Catholic Church,/the communion of saints,/the forgiveness of sins,/the resurrection of the body,/and the life everlasting./ Amen. PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL Cel: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us thank and praise God for all the good things we enjoy, and ask for a generous heart to help those who are suffering and neglected. With confidence in God’s love, let us pray: Response: Lord, have mercy on us. 1. For our Pope, bishops and priests: that they may promote love, truth, and goodness by bearing witness to Christ in a world marked by selfishness and indifference. R./ 2. For all Christians: that they may not be indifferent to the needs of the poor around them, and grant them generosity of heart to share their wealth with the less privileged. R./    3. For the leaders of all nations: that they may be tireless in their efforts to eliminate poverty. May the Holy Spirit move them to do what they can to help the poor. R./ 4. For those who suffer through unemployment, poverty or sickness: that they may not lose heart in times of trial and pain. May they find comfort through their faith in the promise of Christ in the eternal reward. R./ 5. For all gathered in this assembly: that we may seek to make ourselves rich in goodness and love rather than in the things of this world. R./ (Pray for local and personal needs) Cel: God of love and mercy, in the midst of the uncertainties of changing world, teach us to look beyond the good things of this life. Keep us secure in your love. We ask this... PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS God of mercy, accept our offering and make it a source of blessing for us. We ask this... PREFACE    (32) Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. By his birth we are reborn. In his suffering we are freed from sin. By his rising from the dead we rise to everlasting life. In his return to you in glory we enter into your heavenly kingdom. And so, we join the angels and the saints as they sing their unending hymn of praise: All: Holy, holy, holy... COMMUNION ANTIPHON O Lord, remember the words you spoke to me, your servant, which made me live in hope and consoled me when I was downcast. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Lord, may this Eucharist in which we proclaim the death of Christ bring us salvation and make us one with him in glory, for he is Lord for ever and ever.     LITURGY  AND  LIFE   Today’s liturgy of the Word emphasizes on the responsibility of the wealthy people towards the poor. In the First Reading we see Prophet Amos using strong words about the lavish life style of the rich. In today’s Gospel Jesus is addressing the Pharisees who are “lovers of money”. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus shows what will happen to people of wealth who do not care for the poor and the needy. The rich man lives a life of luxury, while Lazarus lives in utter misery. Lazarus’ misery is depicted through reference to his oozing sores, which attract the dogs, and his hunger. Lazarus longed to eat the food that fell from the table of the rich man. The rich man is punished not simply because he is rich, but because he does not respond to Lazarus’ need. This failure also indicates that he did not listen to Moses and the prophets. The scene after death makes God’s judgement clear. God does not appear openly but is represented by Abraham. Lazarus receives the warmest welcome and continuing care in the bosom of Abraham. The parable may offer comfort to the poor, but it is primarily designed to challenge the rich. God’s concern for the poor is demonstrated in the story of Lazarus. The requests that the rich man makes are all rejected. Abraham reminds the rich man that the present situation compensates for former injustice and declares that nothing can be done now about the rich man’s situation. Unable to help himself, the rich man tries to help his brothers, who evidently live the same luxurious and callous life as he formerly did. Introducing the brothers at this point turns attention to people who can still repent and escape the place of torment. The parable is a warning to just such people. Abraham denies that a special messenger from the dead is needed, for “they have Moses and the prophets.” The rich man pleads, but Abraham is sure that those who do not heed Moses and the prophets will not respond “even if someone rises from the dead.”   For all of us, especially for young people, today’s Gospel contains one of the most essential lessons we have ever heard. Young people who are in the process of forming a philosophy of life—a set of principles and values by which they hope to live and find meaning and happiness in life—are the ones in greatest need of Jesus’ teaching today. They are living in a world where happiness supposedly consists in possessing more and more, in acquiring the latest and best of everything advertised on TV and in magazines. It’s a world in which people are easily influenced to resist the need to grow up and face the responsibilities that we all have toward our fellow humans and, above all, to God. One great evil in the world today is the terrible indifference towards one’s neighbour which is so widespread. We have to be clear about the reason why the rich man is condemned to hell. It is not for being rich, but for being ‘callous and indifferent’ to the beggar at his gate. Hence, today’s Gospel parable demands our serious reflection and action. —Fr Augustine Kanachikuzhy, ssp     September/October 2010    READINGS OF THE WEEK     Psalter Week 2 27 Mon (W)   St Vincent de Paul, mem, Job 1:6-22; Ps 16:1,2-3ab,6-7; Lk 9:46-50 28 Tue (G)    Job 3:1-3,11-17,20-23; Ps 87:10bc-11,12-13,14-15; Lk 9:51-56 29 Wed (W)      Sts MICHAEL, GABRIEL & RAPHAEL, Archangels, Fst                     Dan 7:9-10,13-14 or Rev 12:7-12a; Ps 137:1-2a,2bc-3,4-5; Jn 1:47-51 30 Thu (W) St Jerome, mem Job 19:21-27; Ps 26:7-8ab,8c-9abc,13-14; Lk 10:1-12 1 Fri (W)     St THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, vg dr, Fst                     2 Cor 10:17-11:2; Ps 130:1,2,3; Mt 18:1-4 2 Sat (W)    The Holy Guardian Angels, mem                      Ex 23:20-23; Ps 90:1-2,3-4,5-6,10-11; Mt 18:1-5,10