Today is the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time! It is also the feast day of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents or St. Therese the Little Flower. The 1st couple canonized together!
Gospel for today:
GospelLK 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
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.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
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.’
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.
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.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
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.’”
The Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!
We see in today’s Gospel that riches stood in the way of a man being able to listen to Moses and the prophets. The problem being selfishness and not listening.
Today we also have Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin the parents of St. Therese the Little Flower. The Martins were not poor people, but listened to and followed the Lord! They brought up their children in the faith as well. Life was not perfect for this family, there was the hardships of death and missing loved ones; they found their comfort and strength in faith and family!
One can be rich in this world but not attached to their riches, use their riches to help the Church and others while faithfully following Christ.
Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, Pray for us!
