My dear friends, how often in Rome, walking the streets—the beautiful streets—the bakeries, the restaurants, the clothing stores—do we encounter those who can afford none of these: the beggars, the gypsies, those who beg for money to buy a piece of bread, the poor among us.
And having been in Rome, you come to know the names of some of these poor—Gabriel, Salvatore… In the Gospels, we also have the name of the poor man —Lazarus. God knows their names. They are of infinite worth in the eyes of God.
Today’s readings ask us to examine how we look at the poor and what we are doing about it—in a world that continues to manipulate and exploit those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
In the first reading from the prophet Amos, we hear of this prophet in the eighth century BC, during a time of wealth and prosperity in the northern Kingdom of Israel under King Jeroboam II—a prosperity built on the exploitation of the poor and corrupt economic practices.
Amos was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore trees from Judah, yet he was sent by God to denounce social injustice, hypocrisy in worship—lifting our hands to God while abusing those beneath us on earth—and the oppression of the poor.
Amos condemns the merchants who eagerly wait for the Sabbath and holy days to be over so they can continue cheating the poor with false weights and measures. Their greed has led them to disregard both God and human dignity.
God loves us all, and He wants us all to be saved.
This theme is echoed in the second reading from Saint Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Paul is instructing Timothy on what proper order in the Christian community at Ephesus should look like.
One of the first tasks he emphasises is prayer—not just for believers, but for all people, including rulers and those in authority. He specifically says: "God desires that everyone be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."
In the Gospel, we read from the mind and heart of Luke, who often deals with wealth, poverty, and stewardship. He gives us a parable of the dishonest steward—unique to his Gospel and considered one of the most puzzling.
Jesus speaks of a steward caught squandering his master’s goods, reducing the debts of others to secure favour. Once he loses his job, the master praises him—not for dishonesty, but for his shrewdness.
Jesus contrasts the children of this world, who act decisively for worldly gain, with the children of light, who should be just as prudent with eternal matters.
The teaching concludes with a stark warning: one cannot serve both God and money; a choice must be made.
My brothers and sisters, we are once again being challenged to choose God. To make God first and foremost above everything else, but also to treat others as if we are already living with them in heaven.
How are we preparing for heaven?
A significant indicator of where we stand in terms of how much we have allowed God to sanctify us is how we react to and treat others—especially the less fortunate.
The more we extend ourselves to others—whether through acts of charity or prayer—the more we demonstrate our readiness for Paradise, to live forever with God.
And may He bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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