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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C , 25 September 2022 Note: Homilies & Angelus / Regina Caeli of Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI & Pope Francis I had been compiled for you after the Mass Readings below. Happy Reading! Liturgical Colour: Green.
Mass Readings from ETWN, USCCB, Universalis. See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-302 to Encouragements-303. 8-) First Reading: Amos 6:1, 4-7, Responsorial: Psalm 146: 6-10, 2nd Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 & Gospel: Luke 16:19-31, CCTNtv, Gospel Video.
Others: The Rich Man and Lazarus Short Movie - Luke 16:19-31
Please refer to https://twitter.com/Michael65413248 for some latest record. Take care, put on your facemask and stay healthy, because we love you! 8-) COVID-19 Protection in Singapore.
1. Criminal Investigation Department, Singapore Police Force harassed Law-abiding Citizen. Latest! https://twitter.com/Michael65413248/status/1510086218851270658 (2 April 2022) #Singapore Police Force harassing the same law abiding business owner again from 92298844, 97397514, 83487591, 96645914, 63914706, 82825465, 97378102, 90360045, 92981234! They can’t perform to contain COVID, so they bully to appear busy? Shameless? You decide! 2. See another Police case to frame against the Innocent! Please spread the News to help them who commit no crime. Many Thanks. Till this day, the harassment continues and there is no apology from the Rulers and no compensation paid for damages inflicted. 3. See the Bloggers went MISSING before / after the Singapore General Election on 10 July 2020. Please pray for their safety as we search for them actively. Many Thanks. 5. Do you want this kind of “pastoral care”?
Homilies, Angelus / Regina Caeli
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-303. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-303. 8-)
2. October is the month in which we honour Our Blessed Mother, Queen of the Holy Rosary. In the present international situation, I appeal to all - individuals, families and communities - to pray the rosary for peace, even daily, so that the world will be preserved from the dreadful scourge of terrorism. The terrible tragedy of last 11 September will be remembered as a dark day in the history of humanity. In the face of this event, the Church intends to be faithful to her prophetic charism and reminds all men of their duty to build a future of peace for the human family. Of course, peace is not separate from justice, but the latter must always be carried out with mercy and love.
We cannot forget that Jews, Christians and Muslims adore the One God. Therefore, the three religions have the vocation to unity and peace. May God grant to the faithful of the Church to be in the front line in the search for justice, in the rejection of violence, and in the commitment to be agents of peace. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for the whole world, so that hatred and death may never have the last word!
3. I now turn in thought to Italian families, as the day of the meeting approaches that will be held in St Peters' Square on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October, on the occasion of the beatification of the spouses Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi. Dear families, for the first time two spouses attain together, as a couple, the goal of beatification, and for such a happy occasion I expect many to be present. This event is taking place 20 years after the publication of the Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris Consortio", which accentuated the role of the family, which in present-day society is especially downplayed. In Italy also, where the family has always been the point of reference and fundamental resource, disintegrative tendencies are growing and many groups are at work to equate the institution of the family based on matrimony with other forms of living together. This is why families and their associations must promote a revival of commitment for an effective fostering of family values.
May Mary, whom we are about to invoke in reciting the Angelus, grant the multiple intentions of our prayer today. Pope Saint John Paul II (Angelus, 30 September 2001)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-304. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-304. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-304. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-305. 8-)
In the second reading the Apostle Paul offers to Timothy, but also to us, some advice which is close to his heart. Among other things, he charges him “to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach” (1 Timothy 6:14). He speaks simply of a commandment. It seems that he wants to keep our attention fixed firmly on what is essential for our faith. Saint Paul, indeed, is not suggesting all sorts of different points, but is emphasizing the core of the faith. This centre around which everything revolves, this beating heart which gives life to everything is the Paschal proclamation, the first proclamation: the Lord Jesus is risen, the Lord Jesus loves you, and he has given his life for you; risen and alive, he is close to you and waits for you every day. We must never forget this. On this Jubilee for Catechists, we are being asked not to tire of keeping the key message of the faith front and centre: the Lord is risen. Nothing is more important; nothing is clearer or more relevant than this. Everything in the faith becomes beautiful when linked to this centrepiece, if it is saturated by the Paschal proclamation. If it remains in isolation, however, it loses its sense and force. We are called always to live out and proclaim the newness of the Lord’s love: “Jesus truly loves you, just as you are. Give him space: in spite of the disappointments and wounds in your life, give him the chance to love you. He will not disappoint you”.
The commandment which Saint Paul is speaking of makes us think also of Jesus’ new commandment: “that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). It is by loving that the God-who-is-Love is proclaimed to the world: not by the power of convincing, never by imposing the truth, no less by growing fixated on some religious or moral obligation. God is proclaimed through the encounter between persons, with care for their history and their journey. Because the Lord is not an idea, but a living person: his message is passed on through simple and authentic testimony, by listening and welcoming, with joy which radiates outward. We do not speak convincingly about Jesus when we are sad; nor do we transmit God’s beauty merely with beautiful homilies. The God of hope is proclaimed by living out the Gospel of love in the present moment, without being afraid of testifying to it, even in new ways.
This Sunday’s Gospel helps us understand what it means to love, and more than anything how to avoid certain risks. In the parable there is a rich man who does not notice Lazarus, a poor man who was “at his gate” (Luke 16:20). This rich man, in fact, does not do evil towards anyone; nothing says that he is a bad man. But he has a sickness much greater than Lazarus’, who was “full of sores” (ibid.): this rich man suffers from terrible blindness, because he is not able to look beyond his world, made of banquets and fine clothing. He cannot see beyond the door of his house to where Lazarus lies, because what is happening outside does not interest him. He does not see with his eyes, because he cannot feel with his heart. For into it a worldliness has entered which anaesthetizes the soul. This worldliness is like a “black hole” that swallows up what is good, which extinguishes love, because it consumes everything in its very self. And so here a person sees only outward appearances, no longer noticing others because one has become indifferent to everyone. The one who suffers from grave blindness often takes on “squinting” behaviour: he looks with adulation at famous people, of high rank, admired by the world, yet turns his gaze away from the many Lazaruses of today, from the poor, from the suffering who are the Lord’s beloved.
But the Lord looks at those who are neglected and discarded by the world. Lazarus is the only one named in all of Jesus’ parables. His name means “God helps”. God does not forget him; he will welcome him to the banquet in his kingdom, together with Abram, in communion with all who suffer. The rich man in the parable, on the other hand, does not even have a name; his life passes by forgotten, because whoever lives for himself does not write history. And a Christian must write history! He or she must go out from themselves, to write history! But whoever lives for themselves cannot write history. Today’s callousness causes chasms to be dug that can never be crossed. And we have fallen, at this time, into the sickness of indifference, selfishness and worldliness.
There is another detail in the parable, a contrast. The opulent life of this nameless man is described as being ostentatious: everything about him concerns needs and rights. Even when he is dead he insists on being helped and demands what is to his benefit. Lazarus’ poverty, however, is articulated with great dignity: from his mouth no complaints or protests or scornful words issue. This is a valuable teaching: as servants of the word of Jesus we have been called not to parade our appearances and not to seek for glory; nor can we be sad or full of complaints. We are not prophets of gloom who take delight in unearthing dangers or deviations; we are not people who become ensconced in our own surroundings, handing out bitter judgments on our society, on the Church, on everything and everyone, polluting the world with our negativity. Pitiful scepticism does not belong to whoever is close to the word of God.
Whoever proclaims the hope of Jesus carries joy and sees a great distance; such persons have the horizon open before them; there is no wall closing them in; they see a great distance because they know how to see beyond evil and beyond their problems. At the same time, they see clearly from up close, because they are attentive to their neighbour and to their neighbour’s needs. The Lord is asking this of us today: before all the Lazaruses whom we see, we are called to be disturbed, to find ways of meeting and helping, without always delegating to others or saying: “I will help you tomorrow; I have no time today, I’ll help you tomorrow”. This is a sin. The time taken to help others is time given to Jesus; it is love that remains: it is our treasure in heaven, which we earn here on earth.
And so, dear catechists, dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give us the grace to be renewed every day by the joy of the first proclamation to us: Jesus died and is risen, Jesus loves us personally! May he give us the strength to live and proclaim the commandment of love, overcoming blindness of appearances, and worldly sadness. May he make us sensitive to the poor, who are not an afterthought in the Gospel but an important page, always open before all. Pope Francis I (Homily, 25 September 2016)
Yesterday, Engelmar Unzeitig was beatified in Würzburg, Germany. This priest of the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries was killed in hatred of the Faith in Dachau concentration camp. He countered hatred with love, and he responded to ferocity with meekness. May his example help us to be witnesses of charity and hope even in the midst of trials.
I willingly extend my support to the Bishops of Mexico in sustaining the efforts of the Church and civil society in favour of the family and of life, which at this time call for special pastoral and cultural attention throughout the world. I assure you of my prayers for the beloved Mexican people, that the violence, which in recent days has even affected several priests, may cease.
Today marks World Deaf Day. I wish to greet all deaf people, who are also gathered here, and to encourage them to offer their contribution to make the Church and society increasingly capable of welcoming everyone.
And lastly I extend my special greeting to all of you, dear catechists! Thank you for your commitment to the Church through the service of evangelization, in passing on the Faith. May Our Lady help you to persevere on the path of faith and to bear witness with your lives to what you transmit in the catechesis. Pope Francis I (Angelus. 25 September 2016)
HOLY MASS ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, 29 September 2019 Extracts: It is in this context that the harsh words of the Prophet Amos proclaimed in the first reading (6:1.4-7) should be understood. Woe to those who are at ease and seek pleasure in Zion, who does not worry about the ruin of God’s people, even though it is in plain sight. They do not notice the destruction of Israel because they are too busy ensuring that they can still enjoy the good life, delicious food and fine drinks. It is striking how, twenty-eight centuries later, these warnings remain as timely as ever. For today too, the “culture of comfort… makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people… which results in indifference to others; indeed, it even leads to the globalization of indifference” (Homily in Lampedusa, 8 July 2013).
In the end, we too risk becoming like that rich man in the Gospel who is unconcerned for the poor man Lazarus, “covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:20-21). Too intent on buying elegant clothes and organizing lavish banquets, the rich man in the parable is blind to Lazarus’s suffering. Overly concerned with preserving our own well-being, we too risk being blind to our brothers and sisters in difficulty.
Yet, as Christians, we cannot be indifferent to the tragedy of old and new forms of poverty, to the bleak isolation, contempt and discrimination experienced by those who do not belong to “our” group. We cannot remain insensitive, our hearts deadened, before the misery of so many innocent people. We must not fail to weep. We must not fail to respond. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of tears, the tears that can convert our hearts before such sins. Pope Francis I (Homily, 29 September 2019)
Angelus, 29 September 2019 Extracts: I wish to greet all of you who have participated in this moment of prayer with which we reaffirmed the Church’s attention towards the various categories of vulnerable people on the move. In union with the faithful of all the Dioceses in the world, we have celebrated World Day of Migrants and Refugees in order to reaffirm the need that no one be excluded from society, be they citizens who have been long-time residents or newcomers.
In order to underscore this commitment, I will shortly inaugurate a sculpture which has as its theme these words from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (13:2). This sculpture in bronze and clay depicts a group of migrants from various cultures and different historical periods. I wished to have this sculpture placed here in Saint Peter’s Square so that it may be a reminder to every one of the evangelical challenge of welcoming. Pope Francis I (Angelus, 29 September 2019)
Holy Mass during the Pastoral Visit to Matera, 25 September 2022 Holy Mass Video, Video (American Sign Language). Homily starts @ 35:00/1:52:16. Homily Text (not uploaded yet on 26 September 2022, 19:06 SGT). Extracts by Pope Francis (please view his tweets https://twitter.com/Pontifex ): Today is World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Let us renew our commitment to building a future that puts migrants, refugees, displaced persons and victims of human trafficking at the centre. The Kingdom of God is built together with them. #WDMR2022 @M_RSection #TodaysGospel tells us that bread is not always shared on the world table; the fragrance of communion does not always emanate; it is not always broken in justice: on one side a rich man clothed in purple, on the other a poor man covered in sores. The rich man does not even have a name; instead the poor man has a name, Lazarus, which means “God helps”. Despite his marginalised condition, his dignity is intact because he lives in a relationship with God, the unshakeable hope of his life. The #Eucharist invites us to conversion: from indifference to compassion, from waste to sharing, from individualism to fraternity, because there is no true Eucharistic worship without compassion for the many “Lazaruses” who walk beside us even today. Let us return to the taste of bread, because while injustice and discrimination against the poor continue in the world, Jesus gives us the Bread of Sharing and sends us out daily as apostles of fraternity, justice and peace.
PASTORAL VISIT TO MATERA FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THE 27th NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS Angelus, 25 September 2022 Extracts: I think, in particular, of Myanmar. For more than two years that noble country has been martyred by serious armed clashes and violence, which have caused many victims and displaced persons. This week I heard the cry of grief at the death of children in a bombed school. We see that in today’s world there is a trend for bombing schools. May the cry of these little ones not go unheard! These tragedies must not happen!
Mary, Queen of Peace, comfort the martyred Ukrainian people and obtain from the heads of Nations the strength of will immediately to find effective initiatives to bring the war to an end.
I join in the appeal of the bishops of Cameroon for the liberation of some people kidnapped in the diocese of Mamfe, including five priests and a religious sister. I pray for them and for the populations of the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda: may the Lord give peace to hearts and to the social life of that dear country.
Today, this Sunday, the Church celebrates World Day of Migrants and Refugees, on the theme: “Building the future with migrants and refugees”. Let us renew our commitment to building the future in accordance with God’s plan: a future in which every person may find his or her place and be respected; in which migrants, refugees, displaced persons and the victims of human trafficking may live in peace and with dignity. So that the Kingdom of God is realized with them, without exclusion. It is also thanks to those brothers and sisters that communities can grow on a social, economic, cultural and spiritual level; and the sharing of diverse traditions enriches the People of God. Let us all work together to build a more inclusive and fraternal future! Migrants must be welcomed, accompanied, supported and integrated.
Daily Blessings to You from Emmanuel Goh & Friends
Note: This webpage has many hyperlinks to the Vatican Webpage. The above extracts were compiled for your easy reading. This Publication is aimed to encourage all of Goodwill around the World. It is not for business or profit purposes but it is our way to thank our Creator for His continuous blessings!
Compiled on 22 September 2019 Last updated: 26 September 2022, 20:38 SGT
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