26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C (다해 연중 제26주일)
1st Reading: Amos 6:1a; 4-7
A life of luxury gives a false sense of security
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Thus says the Lord the God of hosts:
[1] "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion!
[4] Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory,
and stretch themselves upon their couches,
and eat lams from the flock,
and calves from the midst of the stall;
[5] who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
[6] who drink wine in bowls,
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
[7] Therefore they shall now be the first of those to go into exile,
and the revelry of those who stretch themselves shall pass away."
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Commentary:
6:1-7. The third "woe" (v. 1; cf. 5:7, 18) marks the start of the last section of this
part of the book. Two distinct fragments can be detected in this passage, but
they both attack pleasure-seeking and pride. The first (vv. 1-7) reproaches those
who live thoughtlessly (vv. 4-6), be they in Samaria or in Zion (v. 1), putting their
trust in the ruling classes of "the first of the nations", that is, the Northern king-
dom, Samaria. In describing the country in that way, Amos is being sarcastic.
But there is no sarcasm about his threat that those who "anoint themselves with
the finest oils" (v. 6) "will be the first of those who go into exile" (v. 7). The main
charge laid against them is that of living a life of luxury, heedless of the misfor-
tunes of others, of "the ruin of Joseph (v. 6). Concern for others is always a religi-
ous duty: "Coming down to practical and particularly urgent consequences, this
council [Vatican II] lays stress on reverence for man; everyone must consider his
every neighbour without exception as another self, taking into account first of all
his life and the means necessary to living it with dignity. […] In our times a spe-
cial obligation binds us to make ourselves the neighbour of every person without
exception and to actively help him when he comes across our path, whether he
be an old person abandoned by all, a foreign labourer unjustly looked down upon,
a refugee, a child born of an unlawful union and wrongly suffering for a sin he did
not commit, or a hungry person who disturbs our conscience by recalling the
voice of the Lord, 'As long as you did it for one of these the least of my brethren,
you did it for me' (Mt 35:40)" (Gaudium et spes, 27).
2nd Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16
An Appeal to Defend the Faith
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[11] But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith; take
hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confes-
sion in the presence of many witnesses. [13] In the presence of God who gives
life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate
made the good confession, [14] I charge you to keep the commandment un-
stained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; [15]
and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sove-
reign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone has immortality and
dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him
be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
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Commentary:
11-16. The letter's final piece of advice is given with special solemnity. There are
two reasons for constancy in the fight (v. 12): the call to eternal life, and fidelity to
the confession of faith made at Baptism. The second obligation, to keep what is
commanded (v. 14), is urged with an appeal to the presence of two witnesses --
God the Father, and Jesus Christ (v. 13), who firmly proclaimed his kingship to
Pontius Pilate.
There is a very close connection between perseverance and the eternal sovereign-
ty of God (v. 16): "The eternity of God", St Bernard teaches, "is the source of per-
severance [...]. Who hopes and perseveres in love but he who imitates the eterni-
ty of his charity? Truly, perseverance reflects eterni ty in some way; only to per-
severance is eternity granted or, to put it better, only perseverance obtains eterni-
ty for man" ("Book of Consideration", 5, 14).
11. "Man of God": this expression was used in the Old Testament of men who
performed some special God-given mission -- for example, Moses (Deut 33:1;
Ps 40:1), Samuel (1 Sam 9:6-7); Elijah and Elisha(1 Kings 17:18; 2 Kings 4:7,
27, 42). In the Pastoral Epistles (cf. also 2 Tim 3:17) it is applied to Timothy in-
sofar as ordination has conferred on him a ministry in the Church. Through ordi-
nation "the priest is basically a consecrated man, a "man of God" (1 Tim 6:11)
[...]. The ministerial priesthood in the people of God is something more than a
holy public office exercised on behalf of the community: it is primarily a configu-
ration, a sacramental and mysterious transformation of the person of the man-
priest into the person of Christ himself, the only mediator (cf. 1 Tim 2:5) " (A.
del Portillo, "On Priesthood", pp. 44-45).
"Fight the good fight": St Paul often uses military comparisons to describe the
Christian life (cf., e.g., 2 Cor 10:3-6; Eph 6:10-17; Col 1:29; 2 Tim 2:3; 4:7), and
they have found their way into the ascetical tradition of the Church (cf. note on
1 Tim 1:17-19). Here and in 2 Timothy he is referring more to keeping the truth
unsullied, and to preaching: the "good fight of the faith" is of great importance
to everyone.
"Confession in the presence of many witnesses": in addition to the day of his
consecration (cf. 1 Tim 4:14), Timothy would have often had occasion to make
public confession of his faith. However, this phrase is couched in such formal
terms that it seems to refer rather to the profession of faith which has been
made at Baptism ever since the early years of the Church (cf. Acts 2:38-41).
13-14. "Keep the commandments": the Greek may be referring to one specific
commandment (as the RSV reflects); but it can also mean law as a whole and,
more likely, the truths of Revelation, that is, the deposit of the faith professed
at Baptism.
St Paul very formally calls in, as witnesses to this instruction, God the Father
and Christ Jesus, "who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good
confession". Jesus' "testimony" includes his entire passion and the declaration
he made to the Roman procurator about messianic kingship and his true identi-
ty (cf. Jn 18:36-37).
"Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ": when referring to the second co-
ming of Christ the New Testament often uses the term "parousia" (cf. 1 Cor 15:
23; 2 Pet 3:4) or "revealing" (cf., e.g., 1 Cor 1:7); the Pastoral Epistles prefer
"appearing", epiphany, manifestation (cf. 2 Tim 4:1, 8; Tit 2:13), which better re-
flect the coming of Christ in glory as Savior (cf. 2 Tim 1:10). There is, of course,
a wonderful continuity between the redemptive work of Christ, the action of the
Church in conserving Revelation and passing it on, and the final coming of Christ
at the end of time.
15-16. This doxology or hymn of praise, one of the richest and most beautiful in
the New Testament, may have been taken from the Church's liturgy (which may
also be the case with the other hymns in this letter: cf. 1:17 and 3:15 -16). It
was possibly a reply to pagan hymns honoring rulers and emperors as gods.
However, it is more likely that this particular hymn was inspired by the Old Tes-
tament, which speaks of God in similar language. Whatever its origin, the impor-
tant thing about the hymn is that it expresses faith in God who merits all praise.
At a time known only to him (cf. Mt 24:36), God the Father will bring about the
glorious manifestation of Jesus Christ. The text refers to four attributes which
show the power and sublimity of God: he is the "only Sovereign", from whom
all lawful rulers on earth receive their authority (cf. Jn 19:11). He is the "King of
kings and Lord of lords" (literally, "the King of those who reign and the Lord of
those who wield lordship"); this is not, then, a merely honorific title: he does ac-
tually exercise sovereignty over those who claim to possess it (cf. Rev 17:14;
19: 16). He is "immortal", for immortality is proper to God, who is Life (cf. Jn 1:
4); angels and souls are immortal only by virtue of the nature given them by God.
Finally, he is "light" and brightness: these are attributed to God (cf. Ps 104:2) to
show his sublimity: God transcends all created things and cannot be fully com-
prehended by man. St Thomas explains that an object can be invisible on two
counts either because it lacks brightness, as occurs with things which are dark
and opaque, or because it is too bright, as occurs in the case of the sun, which
is so bright that the human eye cannot look at it; God is so far beyond the capa-
city of the human mind that man cannot entirely take him in even though what
we can learn about him by the right use of reason and through revelation is true
and accurate (cf. "Commentary on 1 Tim, ad loc."). The conclusion of the hymn,
which is liturgical and pedagogical in style, is similar to that found in 1:17: there
it says "honor and glory", here "heaven and eternal dominion", putting more
stress on God's sovereignty.
This and the other hymns which appear in the letter show that the first Christians
were fully aware that man's true purpose in life is to give glory to God. "We do
not live for the world, or for our own honor, but for the honor of God, for the glory
of God, for the service of God. That is what should motivate us!" (St. J. Escriva,
"The Forge", 851).
Gospel Reading: Luke 16:19-31
Lazarus and the Rich Man
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(Jesus told them this parable:) [19] "There was a rich man, who was clothed in
purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. [20] And at his
gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, [21] who desired to be fed
with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores . [22] The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bo-
som. The rich man also died and was buried; [23] and in Hades, being in torment,
he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. [24]
And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to
dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this
flame.' [25] But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received
your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted
here, and you are in anguish. [26] And besides in all this, between us and you a
great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you
may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' [27] And he said, 'Then I
beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, [28] for I have five brothers, so
that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' [29] But
Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' [30] And
he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they
will repent.' [31] He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, nei-
ther will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
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Commentary:
19-31. This parable disposes of two errors -- that of those who denied the survival
of the soul after death and, therefore, retribution in the next life; and that of those
who interpreted material prosperity in this life as a reward for moral rectitude, and
adversity as punishment. This parable shows that, immediately after death, the
soul is judged by God for all its acts -- the "particular judgment" -- and is rewar-
ded or punished; and that divine revelation is by itself sufficient for men to be able
to believe in the next life.
In another area, the parable teaches the innate dignity of every human person,
independently of his social, financial, cultural or religious position. And respect
for this dignity implies that we must help those who are experiencing any material
or spiritual need: "Wishing to come down to topics that are practical and of some
urgency, the Council lays stress on respect for the human person: everyone
should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as another self, bearing in
mind above all his life and the means necessary for living it in a dignified way lest
he follow the example of the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the poor man" (Vati-
can II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 27).
Another practical consequence of respect for others is proper distribution of ma-
terial resources and protection of human life, even unborn life, as Paul VI plea-
ded with the General Assembly of the United Nations: "Respect for life, even with
regard to the great problem of the birth rate, must find here in your assembly its
highest affirmation and its most reasoned defense. You must strive to multiply
bread so that it suffices for the tables of mankind, and not rather favor an artifi-
cial control of birth, which would be irrational, in order to diminish the number of
guests at the banquet of life" ("Address to the UN", 4 October 1965).
21. Apparently this reference to the dogs implies not that they alleviated Lazarus'
sufferings but increased them, in contrast with the rich man's pleasure: to the
Jews dogs were unclean and therefore were not generally used as domestic ani-
mals.
22-26. Earthly possession, as also suffering, are ephemeral things: death marks
their end, and also the end of our testing-time, our capacity to sin or to merit re-
ward for doing good; and immediately after death we begin to enjoy our reward or
to suffer punishment, as the case may be. The Magisterium of the Church has
defined that the souls of all who die in the grace of God enter Heaven, immediate-
ly after death or after first undergoing a purging, if that is necessary. "We believe
in eternal life. We believe that the souls of all those who die in the grace of Christ
-- whether they must still make expiation in the fire of Purgatory, or whether from
the moment they leave their bodies they are received by Jesus into Paradise like
the Good Thief -- go to form that people of God which succeeds death, death
which will be totally destroyed on the day of the resurrection when these souls
are reunited with their bodies" (Paul VI, "Creed of the People of God", 28).
The expression of "Abraham's bosom" refers to the place or state "into which the
souls of the just, before the coming of Christ the Lord were received, and where,
without experiencing any sort of pain, but supported by the blessed hope of re-
demption, they enjoyed peaceful repose. To liberate these holy souls, who, in
the bosom of Abraham were expecting the Savior, Christ the Lord descended in-
to hell" ("St. Pius V Catechism", I, 6, 3).
22. "Both the rich man and the beggar died and were carried before Abraham,
and there judgment was rendered on their conduct. And the Scripture tells us
that Lazarus found consolation, but that the rich man found torment. Was the
rich man condemned because he had riches, because he abounded in earthly
possessions, because he 'dressed in purple and linen and feasted sumptuously
every day'? No, I would say that it was not for this reason. The rich man was con-
demned because he did not pay attention to the other man, because he failed to
take notice of Lazarus, the person who sat at his door and who longed to eat the
scraps from his table. Nowhere does Christ condemn the mere possession of
earthly goods as such. Instead, He pronounces very harsh words against those
who use their possessions in a selfish way, without paying attention to the
needs of others[...]."
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus must always be present in our memory;
it must form our conscience. Christ demands openness to our brothers and sis-
ters in need -- openness from the rich, the affluent, the economically advantaged;
openness to the poor, the underdeveloped and the disadvantaged. Christ de-
mands an openness that is more than benign attention, more than token actions
or half-hearted efforts that leave the poor as destitute as before or even more so
[...].
"We cannot stand idly by, enjoying our riches and freedom, if, in any place, the
Lazarus of the Twentieth Century stands at our doors. In the light of the parable
of Christ, riches and freedom mean a special responsibility. Riches and freedom
create a special obligation. And so, in the name of the solidarity that binds us
all together in a common humanity, I again proclaim the dignity of every human
person: the rich man and Lazarus are both human beings, both of them equally
created in the image and likeness of God, both of them equally redeemed by
Christ, at a great price of the 'precious blood of Christ' (1 Peter 1:19)" (John
Paul II, "Homily in Yankee Stadium", 2 October 1979).
24-31. The dialogue between the rich man and Abraham is a dramatization aimed
at helping people remember the message of the parable: strictly speaking, there
is no room in Hell for feelings of compassion toward one's neighbor: in Hell hatred
presides. "When Abraham said to the rich man 'between us and you a great
chasm has been fixed...' he showed that after death and resurrection there will be
no scope for any kind of penance. The impious will not repent and enter the King-
dom, nor will the just sin and go down into Hell. This is the unbridgeable abyss"
(Aphraates, "Demonstratio", 20; "De Sustentatione Egenorum", 12). This helps
us to understand what St. John Chrysostom says: "I ask you and I beseech you
and, falling at your feet, I beg you: as long as we enjoy the brief respite of life, let
us repent, let us be converted, let us become better, so that we will not have to
lament uselessly like that rich man when we die and tears can do us no good.
For even if you have a father or a son or a friend or anyone else who [has] influ-
ence with God, no one will be able to set you free, for your own deeds condemn
you" ("Hom. on 1 Cor.").
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
[참고: 이 파일은 저서명 "가톨릭 교회의 말씀 전례에 따른 성경공부 해설서"(엮은이: 소순태, 출판사: 가톨릭출판사)의 각주의 연장으로 마련되었습니다].