26th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, September 29, 2013

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

"Eventually...the soul of the beggar Lazarus...was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham."



Jesus said to the Pharisees:


"Once there was a rich man
who dressed in purple
        and linen
        and feasted splendidly
        every day.


At his gate lay a beggar
        named Lazarus
        who was covered with sores.


Lazarus longed to eat the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.


The dogs even came
and licked his sores.


Eventually the beggar died.


He was carried by angels
to the bosom of Abraham.


The rich man likewise died
and was buried.


From the abode of the dead
where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes
and saw Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus resting in his bosom."


"He called out,


'Father Abraham,
have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip
the tip of his finger in water
to refresh my tongue,
for I am tortured in these flames.'


'My child,'


replied Abraham,


'remember that you were well off
in your lifetime,
while Lazarus was in misery.


Now he has found consolation here,
but you have found torment.


And that is not all.


Between you and us
there is fixed a great abyss,
so that those who might wish to cross
from here to you cannot do so,
nor can anyone cross from your side to us.'


"'Father,
I ask you then,'


the rich man said,


'send him to my father's house
where I have five brothers.


Let him be a warning to them
so that they may not end
        in this place of torment.'


Abraham answered


'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them hear them'.


'No, Father Abraham.'
replied the rich man.


'But if someone would only go
to them from the dead,
then they would repent.'


Abraham said to him,


'If they do not listen to Moses
and the prophets
they will not be convinced
even if one should rise from the dead.'"


Scripture quotes from the Sunday readings:
"The fatherless and the widow he sustains." (Psalm 146)
"Seek after integrity, piety, faith, love, steadfastness, and a gentle spirit." (1 Timothy)
"The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Sion, through all generations." (Psalm 146)

25th Sunday of the Year (C): 1 Timothy 2:1-8

25th Sunday of the Year (C), September 22, 2013

Liturgical readings
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13

"Prayer of this kind is good."


I urge that petitions,
        prayers,
        intercessions,
        and thanksgivings


be offered for all men,
        especially for kings
        and those in authority,


that we may be able to lead
        undisturbed
        and tranquil lives
        in perfect piety
        and dignity.


Prayer of this kind is good,
and God our savior is pleased with it,
for


he wants all men to be saved
and come to know the truth.


And the truth is this:


"God is one.


One also is the mediator between God and men,


the man Christ Jesus,


who gave himself as a ransom for all."


This truth was attended at the fitting time.


I have been made its herald and apostle,


(believe me
I am not lying
but speak the truth)


the teacher of the nations in the true faith.


I is my wish, then,
that in every place
the men shall offer prayers
with blameless hands held aloft,
and be free


from anger


and dissension.


Scripture quotes from the readings:
"High above all nations is the Lord; above the heavens is his glory." (Psalm 113)
"God wants all men to be saved and come to know the truth." (1 Timothy)
"Petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered for all men, especially for kings and those in authority." (1 Timothy)

25th Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

25th Sunday of the Year (C), September 22, 2013

Liturgical readings
Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13

What the Lord says is this: that we place our trust in Him.



Jesus said to his disciples:


"A rich man had a manager
who was reported to him
        for dissiplating his property.


He summoned him
and said,


'What is this I hear about you?


Give me an account of your service,
for it is about to come to an end.'


The manager thought to himself,


'What shall I do next?
My employer is sure to dismiss me.
I cannot dig ditches.
I am ashamed to go begging.


I have it!


Here is a way to make sure
that people will take me into their homes
when I am let go.'


"So he called in each of his master's debtors,


and said to the first,


'How much do you owe my master?'


The man replied,
'A hundred jars of oil.'


The manager said,
'Take your invoice,
sit down quickly,
and make it fifty.'


Then he said to a second,


'How much do you owe?'


The answer came,
'A hundred measures of wheat.'


and the manager said,
'Take your invoice
and make it eighty.'


"The owner then gave his devious employee
credit for being enterprising!


Why?


Because the worldly take more initiative
than the other-worldly
when it comes to dealing with their own kind".


"What I say to you is this:


Make friends for yourselves
through your use of this world's goods,
so that when they fail you,
a lasting reception will be yours.


If you can trust a man in little things,
you can also trust him in greater.'


If you cannot be trusted with elusive wealth,
who will trust you with lasting?


And if you have not been trustworthy
with someone else's money,
who will give you what is your own?


"No servant can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one
and love the other
or be attentive to the one
and despise the other.


You cannot give yourself to God and money."

Scripture quotes from the readings:
"High above all nations is the Lord; above the heavens is his glory." (Psalm 113)
"God wants all men to be saved and come to know the truth." (1 Timothy)
"Petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered for all men,
especially for kings and those in authority." (1 Timothy)