Tuesday, September 20, 2022

 

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.