Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich - Daily Bible Readings September 29,2013

1ST READING   Amos is scathing of the way the wealthy luxuriate in their riches and totally disregard the needs of the poor. It is a mystery to Amos how they can think that they are living righteous and good lives when their fellowmen are starving and living in squalor. The same reflection can be made today in every country of the world. All Christians have a responsibility to do what they can to alleviate the suffering of the poor — not to solve the whole problem, as that is too big, but to do what they can to help as many as possible to have a more dignified life.   Amos 6:1, 4-7 (or Daniel 7:9-10.13-14 or Revelation 12:7-12) 1 Thus says the Lord the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! 4 Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! 5Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment. 6 They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!7 Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.   P S A L M   Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 (or Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5) R: Praise the Lord, my soul! 7 Blessed is he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those that were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; 9 the Lord protects strangers. (R) The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. 10 The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through allgenerations. Alleluia. (R)   2ND READING     Paul basically exhorts Timothy to live the best possible life that he can. It is the witness of a leader’s life that makes the most difference in his   effectiveness as a leader. People will very quickly tire of following a hypocrite. They will go wherever a holy person leads them as long as the leader shows the way. Let us pray that all of our leaders are committed to living holy lives as true examples of the Christian way of life that we are all called to follow.   1 Timothy 6:11-16 11 But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 12 Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, 14 to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ 15 that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.   GOSPEL   People with wealth do well to reflect on this parable and ask themselves what it demands of them. This is true for us all as there is always someone worse off than we are. Wealth brings all sorts of opportunities, but the most important opportunity it brings is generosity. One of the criteria of judgment for the wealthy when Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead will be generosity. In other words, have we lived our lives purely for our own enjoyment or have we truly done our best to give enjoyment and pleasure to as many people as we can?   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.   Luke 16:19-31 (or John 1:47-51) 19 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. 20 And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ 25 Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 27He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”   think: People will very quickly tire of following a hypocrite.     T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: __________________   ____________________________________   God’s special verse/thought for me today_ _____________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezekiel 45-48                                                                                                          SABBATH PAUSE My weekly time with God THANK YOU LIST Things to be grateful for from the past week ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NEEDS Things to ask God for in the coming week ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ HIDDEN TREASURE Most important word God told me this week   ________________________________________________________________                                                           _________________________________________________________________