Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (5)

We are all beggars

all have or will have good is gift

existence did not make

salvation, infinite, beyond ability to buy

even if owned whole world

everything borrowed as alms from God

Scripture warns, receive what you give

expect divine alm o salvation if not give earthly ones?

Parable today

Rich doesnt help Lazarus

hell or purgatory?

text isnt clear

one early text, Martyrdom of St Perpetua, purgatory

Fathers generally hell

dont want be that man

What wrong

Chrysostom: not wealth condemned him, but lack mercy

lack care poor in life

Everything have is as beggar

dont expect mercy yourself when stand before God if don’t help those in need when can

We stand as beggars b4 God

if eternal gifts, then be generous

the life of God is giving, and so life of giving begins to taste divine life.

Principle faith

James 1:27. visit orphans and widows keep undefiled

~eternal life if unrepentant defile self with immorality

~ if refuse care for poor

how help poor publicly and privately

publicly

reasonable + faithful catholic disagree which economic systems is best,

gov not really our doctrine unless

violates faith/moral

intentionally not aimed at common good.

wide range btwn evil extremes of tyrannical socialism and selfish anarchism

extremely complicated what system help common good most

Church rightly more interested in faith morals than highly speculative passing social earthly systems

in private life, our property, where more accountable

how much alms OFT ASKED?

Principle Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum: should give all remains when necessity and propriety for family met.

propriety, unlike necessity, is very vague and requires discernment as varies

not everyone called to heroic life of monk/nun/hermit

property and even some fun use not evil

luxury/entertainment + not seriously giving alms, beware! Consider todays parable

lower middle class in US live better than the rich kings of just a few centuries ago!

a little healthy fear here (me included)

remb life does not consist in riches Lk 12:15.

Conclusion

crippling poverty often distant from us

contribute to them

but as one commentator said I think we should all consider

who is the lazarus in your life?

think thru

commit to aid them at least a bit

We all stand and will stand as beggars b4 God, so let us aid the beggar in our life who really needs it.

Notes:

me

martyrdom of perpetua suggests purgatory

Church Fathers seem hell

rich man brothers do not listen to law and prophets nor Christ

Commentators

Pitre

dogs carrion animals

not seemingly breaking other commands (tho doesnt say)

condemned b/c omission

lack of charity to man

blindness to suffering around him

1st reading: sloth, gluttony, luxury/entertainment

“who is the Lazarus in your life”

Bede

how purple obtained and very expensive cloth

Gregory

very fine clothes and banquets evil

suggests its hell

also allegorical for Jews and Gentiles

Cyril of Alex

parable that rich must aid necessities poor, but probably real b/c such a man in history

Chrysostom

not for wealth punished, but lack mercy

Augustine

also allegorical for Jews and Gentiles

Aquinas

rich man in hell