26 Sunday C

Amos the prophet speaks out about the gap between the rich and the poor. The rich are taking comfort in the wealth while in reality the world is in chaos around them. When Israel is finally taken into exile, it is the wealthy who are taken and the poor are left behind. The irony is that which they thought would be their security was the reason for their downfall.

Jesus echoes the experience in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. We should note that the rich man knows Lazarus by name but still does nothing for him. The point of the story is that everyone knows God expects us to take care of our neighbor. Riches are blessing from God that should be used to care for others.

St. Paul instructs Timothy about the kind of character that a “Man of God”, a disciple of Jesus, should exhibit in the way they live their life. Integrity is a characteristic of one who knows what is expected and strives to fulfill it for the right reason, the love of God.