September 28, 2025
Father of Life,
You are the Creator and giver of all good things. We thank You for giving us life. We pray that we will respond to our calling to be stewards of Your creation and respect and cherish life in all its forms. Amen.
Commentary
We have seen that a steward for life is both giving (Week 25) and forgiving (Week 24). The ability to both give and forgive is a response to God’s call for us to have dominion over the world (Genesis 1:26-30).
If we fail in our mission to be stewards of all that God has given us, we step into the path of domination and lose our calling to have dominion. Having dominion means to give and forgive. Domination means to take and forsake.
The Prophet Amos warns against those who chose the path of domination. They are turned in on themselves. They are “complacent” and are living life for themselves. Though God warns them that they will one day live in exile, they are already creating their own home of exile. They have abandoned a world of selfless love for a world of selfish narcissism and have devised “their own accompaniment.”
In this highly technical world, we can almost live in our own world, in front of our own mobile devices, downloading our own entertainment and accompaniment and – all the while – never look up or out to see a world full of life. Complacent people live in a virtual world. Stewards for life live in a real world.
Are you living in a virtual world or a real world?
Commentary
“The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10) is a verse that could have easily been included in our Second Reading today. It is curious that it was not included since it fits well with the other two readings for this Sunday.
Nevertheless, the selected verses for this reading remind us of an eternal life of joy which stands apart from the complacent life found in our First Reading.
Those who “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness,” are true Christian stewards for life. Unlike those who choose a life of exile, Christian stewards participate in the world of God, where Christ rules as King of kings and Lord of lords. Christian stewards for life know that we are not our own. We belong to God.
This Letter to Timothy calls us to “compete well for the faith,” that has been given to us. Faith in God and in His Son requires that we “lay hold of eternal life,” and not be complacent with the life that we have today.
Are you living for the here-and-now or for life eternal?
Continued...
Commentary
The Gospel parable is a fine example of the two opposing worlds of exile and eternal life.
The rich man is the type of person Amos was referring to in our First Reading. He was complacent and living only for himself. He could not see Lazarus who was lying at his own door. The rich man had selected to live in exile. As a result, his life thereafter would be a perpetual life of exile and torment.
However, even after he finds himself in exile, he summons Abraham to send Lazarus to take care of his thirst. (The arrogance of the rich man continues even into his afterlife). He still thinks he is lord over Lazarus. He is far from the call to be a steward for life. His is a life for domination, not dominion.
It should be noted that Lazarus is the Hellenized version of the Hebrew name, Eleazar (or Eliezer); meaning “God is Help.” God is indeed our helper. Trusting in his love for us as King of heaven and earth, he calls us to have a share in his care for the world. He expects us to be stewards for life and not to live for ourselves. He commands us to love one another.
How have these readings challenged you to step out of your own comfort zone?
Who is the Lazarus in your life?
Take time this week to visit or care for a person who has been trying to spend time with you. Perhaps that person is your own child, spouse, best friend, or relative. It may even be the Lord! This will help you get out of your comfort zone and will also give comfort to a person who may need your love.
The prayer continues with Psalm 146.
Response: Praise the Lord, my soul!
R.: Praise the Lord, my soul!
R.: Praise the Lord, my soul!
R.: Praise the Lord, my soul!
Used with Permission. All rights reserved. Christ in Our Neighborhood © is a Scripture program designed by Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix. Free resources at dphx.org/christ-in-our-neighborhood.
