Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, priest, and Paul
Chong Ha-sang, and comansions, martyrs
(Proverbs 21:1-6.10-13; Luke 8:19-21)
Ancient Israel struggled with the meaning of wealth as do
people today. Especially the Book of
Deuteronomy sees riches as a blessing from God for obeying the commandment to
love God alone. A problem arose,
however, when rich people worshipped God but ignored the poor in their midst. Were
they blessed or just living at the eye of a hurricane?
In today’s reading from the Book of Proverbs, the sage says
that the one “who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call
and not be heard.” This truth will be made manifest in Sunday’s gospel when Jesus
tells the parable of “Lazarus and the rich man.” The rich person’s observance of the Law must
go beyond praising God to assisting the neighbor in distress. Otherwise, the person is doomed, no matter
how much money he or she has in the bank.
We should not dismiss any of the laws of the Old Testament
other than those of ritual and dietary observance. They point to Christ who refines them a bit
and observes them exemplarily. Better
than observing the Law, then, is emulating Christ.
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