Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, September 28, 2025

The prophet Amos writes: “Woe to the complacent in Zion” where the people were living the good life without concern for anyone except themselves and having no relationship with God. Paul reminds Timothy to pursue righteousness and faith and keep the commandments so that he can “lay hold” of eternal life. To “lay hold” of eternal life means to take proper steps to actively pursue and obtain it. There is nothing complacent about “laying hold” of a relationship with God or doing everything possible to achieve eternal life.

In the Gospel, the rich man was complacent about his situation. He saw Lazarus every day in front of his home. Yet, he never did anything to care for him. Lazarus receives his eternal reward, the rich man does not. His wealth did not cause his demise. It was caused by his complacency and selfishness. When he pleads for mercy, Abraham tells him that it is too late.

But how can it be too late? After all, Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” He doesn’t dwell on our past, but on our future. Eternal life is available to anyone who overcomes his complacency and seeks to follow God’s commandments. However, we must actively change our lives and become the people that Jesus inspires us to be.

The good news is that being prepared for eternal life is actually quite easy. It’s like taking a test that has one question and a single five-word answer: Q: What do we need to do to gain eternal life? A: Love God, Love one another. That’s it. We know the question and the answer. We simply have to do those two things. However, like the rich man, we can let our complacency prevent us from living the answer.

God has given us all that we have and all that we are. Our success, wealth, and health are all gifts from God. If we serve God and use our gifts for God’s purposes, we will enjoy the blessings of eternal life with God. The story of Lazarus reminds us that our relationships matter. A solid relationship with God will guide us toward right relationships with one another. That means that, unlike the rich man in the parable, we will do the right things in this life so that we can enjoy eternal life with God.

Fr. Mike