HOMILY 26TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME
WEALTH AND POVERTY – MONEY AND POSSESSIONS YET AGAIN!
Lk 16.19-31 Amos 6.1,4-7 1Tim 6.11-16
(Rhyme Bible – “The Poor Rich Man ” Lk 12)
We live in troubled times in a small world, spoken of sometimes as a global village. Yet there are isolationist voices out there highlighting greater division, in terms of ethnicity, religion, politics and wealth, rather than seeking the common ground of a more just and peaceful world for all, for which we all surely hope.
As usual, the media seems to focus more on the bad news rather than the positive side of good things happening in our world near and far, but, in fact, nowhere is far in terms of travel these days, when we can move from one end of the planet to the other. (I should know, from recent experience!) And the reality is, there is much bad, and sad, news out there at present.
One real concern is the way in which the Gospel message can be twisted to suit an argument. It is said ‘the devil can quote scripture to suit himself’, and I see this being the case where a prosperity gospel is preached, with the line taken that God rewards those who work hard to attain wealth, and it’s the fault of the poor or sick person who just hasn’t tried hard enough, and so deserves poverty as a result. It goes back to a Pharisaic view that there’s therefore no obligation to help such a person. Jesus is at the forefront, determined to correct this misconception and ‘cop out’ perspective, of ‘not my problem’!
A recent view has been expressed, even in the pretext of Gospel values, that empathy or compassion is a sign of weakness, and that strength is reflected in taking a hard line, in focussing on one’s own self-interest, and that of those closest to us, in terms of family, beliefs and nation. Anything beyond that is secondary, and not worthy of concern, as long as we look after ourselves, and those who think and look like us. The beauty right here and now, is, if we just look around, we see a wonderful diversity of backgrounds in a relatively peaceful multicultural society, which has fortunately moved far beyond the racist restrictions of the ‘White Australia Policy’! So, there is much to be thankful for.
Empathy is described as “the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings and experiences by ‘putting yourself in their shoes’. It’s crucial for building relationships and acting compassionately.”
The term ‘Christian nationalism’ has been bandied about, as if it’s a good thing, and something to be proud of, but I find it offensive. Such a narrow mentality leads to cutting support such as foreign aid and medical assistance to those in need outside our own circles, near and far, a closed mind and hard heart towards refugees, and a negative and hostile outlook towards those who are different in any way. Then, on the other hand, there’s the disproportionate, even obscene, amount of money poured into the military industrial complex. We need defence, but how much?
We live in a world of wonderful diversity in all sorts of ways, and religion is part of that diversity. Surely we need to find the common ground for the common good of all, and that includes religious freedom and respect for each other, whatever our beliefs. The ‘Golden Rule’ encompasses most, if not all, the major religions, a precept of ethical reciprocity, summed up as ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, so not a bad start to building a just society and a peaceful world.
The recent death of Charlie Kirk was shocking, and his widow’s words stood out at his funeral, where she said ‘I forgive’ the perpetrator. Yet there were other words spoken of hating one’s enemies, even though the service was portrayed as a ‘christian celebration, where it was as much a rally supporting views which are decidedly unchristian, and where hate speech is seen as acceptable. There’s nothing in the teachings of Jesus which lend any support to this misrepresentation, to put it mildly!
Further to this, I’ve recently read 2 books by John Lyons, at present an ABC reporter in the USA, whose public press questions about wealth and power were not appreciated in some quarters recently. His books were based on his experience, first living in Jerusalem for some years, and then a year in Ukraine, after the Russian invasion. In both, he speaks with credibility, from life on the ground, in both places. (He happens to be a former student at CBC St Kilda, my old school!) He’s a genuine seeker of the truth, immersing himself in real situations, at considerable risk to himself, determined for that to be exposed and shared. He fears for the future, if we don’t learn from the past and change things for the better in the present.
And so we come to the old parable of Dives (the rich man) and Lazarus (meaning ‘God has helped’), where the simple picture is painted by Jesus of the rich man who damns himself, not by any suggested personal moral failings, but by ignoring the poor man suffering from hunger and sickness, and so not responding to help.
Remember, this is a post-Resurrection community in the early Church, for whom Luke is writing, and so reminding his hearers of their Christian responsibility to looking beyond themselves to support those in need. It’s a fundamental principle which applies to us all.
As Brendan Byrne SJ puts it: “The story points up the difficulty that even believers have in hearing the gospel of social justice. It does not cease to grow in relevance in a world where so much of the population sits like Lazarus outside the door.”
In the end, this is not to condemn wealth or money in itself, but to remember to use it for good purposes, in particular, for the betterment of others, in responding to their needs. Wealth is to be shared. The parable is not about just waiting for an eternal reward, and keeping out of trouble, but a call to action here and now, in contributing to making a better world, as Gospel people, and so, as followers of Jesus.
john hannon 28th September 2025