Jesus: the Witness for the Truth
Illustration of Lazarus at the rich man's gate by Fyodor Bronnikov, 1886. I've noticed a spate of posts which relate to today's Gospel over the weekend. It is obviously one of those narratives which still has the power to touch us and shock us, as my Parish Priest said in his homily today : the power to embarrass us. It's not just the Gospel though. Last week's consideration of wealth and power is narrowed down today to focus on the specific challenge posed by poverty and riches, and our reactions to both. The Prophet Amos once again depicts the moral bankruptcy of the Northern Kingdom in terms of their luxurious lifestyle. Indulgent eating and drinking, entertainment, rich furnishings and cosmetics, are a measure of the total hedonism in society so turned in on its selfish enjoyments that it is neglectful of the grave political menace confronting it. The Jewish people would soon have to pay the price of the Assyrian invasion and the complete destruction, not...