Have you ever had a moment when you felt yourself to be the underdog, and wished that there were some champion who would come and defend your cause? Today, we see God described in those terms. Our psalm tells us that the Lord “raises up those who are bowed down,” that he “protects strangers,” and “the fatherless and the widow he sustains.” But God doesn’t stop there. He wants us to become champions for the poor. Notice that our Gospel reading depicts the poor man named Lazarus in such a way that we cannot help but feel compassion for him.

As Catholics we understand that none of our actions are truly isolated. Every virtue we practice or sin we commit affects others because we are all members of the body of Christ. Today’s readings from the Old and New Testaments highlight our interconnectedness and offer guidance for how to order the life of the community according to God’s will. The key to tranquil communal life is to consider the needs of others as important as our own. In the first reading, the prophet Amos decries those who exploit the poor for personal gain, putting profit over the common good.

Although God had freed our ancestors in faith from their slavery in Egypt, today we find them grumbling against the Lord as they wander in the desert. Even after we’ve glimpsed so much of God’s goodness, we, too, can begin to grumble in challenging moments of our lives. It’s precisely then that we need to cling to faith. After serpents appeared and began to bite those who had grumbled against God, those who had been bitten only had to look at the serpent mounted on a pole and put their faith in God once again to be healed.

I am particularly struck by this line from Solomon’s prayer in today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom: “Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?” Solomon doesn’t seem to be seeking direct answers to the questions he presents today, but rather, uses them as a sort of poem of praise to honor God in all his glory. In modern language, we could rephrase his questions: What do we know that God has not instilled into our minds? What wisdom do we have that was not infused by the Holy Spirit? There are many things that we cannot understand without the wisdom God gives us. May we, like Solomon, praise and thank God for this gift. Let us trust that where our feeble, corruptible humanity falters, our heavenly Father is our refuge in every age.

GROW: There’s a well-known story about an actor who was asked by an elderly priest to recite Psalm 23. The actor agreed only if the priest also recited the psalm. While the actor’s delivery was met with esteem and applause, the priest’s was met with raw emotion, stunned silence, and tears. The actor, smiling, said, “I may know the psalm, but the priest, he knows the Shepherd.”

GROW: Have you ever felt as though God is punishing you? Throughout the course of our lives, we experience what might seem like a barrage of hardships. This battering down of our interior and exterior fortresses over time can test our faith and weaken our resolve. If you find yourself in this position, read today’s passage from Hebrews again: “Do not disdain the discipline of the Lord,” St. Paul reminds us, “for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines.”

GROW: Today’s readings acknowledge the real challenges of living our faith. Following Christ will sometimes put us at odds with others – an uncomfortable reality that many will face in our broken and divided world. Yet we can find strength knowing that Jesus understands the constant opposition (both inward and outward) that we face. The second reading says, “Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners.” Jesus knows what it’s like to face opposition, but he endured it “for the sake of the joy that lay before him.” That is our calling too. We are made to know the joy that awaits us beyond our crosses. We find the strength to persevere through our trials by “keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.” Keeping Christ as our focus, we will be able to overcome any obstacle we may face and run toward the goal of heaven.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we often want God to give us exactly what we ask for in prayer, or to provide immediate comfort in moments of need. But from the beginning, God revealed that the life of faith would entail trusting in his promises even as we wait for their final fulfilment. The example of Abraham in the second reading can be our model. We are called to emulate Abraham’s obedient trust: “for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.” Throughout the Scriptures God promised his people that he would prepare a place for them.

A few years ago, I heard this witty but thought-provoking phrase: “You never see a U-Haul attached to a hearse” – a reminder that we don’t get to take our physical belongings with us when we die. This phrase came to mind as I read today’s Gospel. Jesus offers us a parable about the perils of placing our ultimate hope in amassing possessions. In our own lives, we might be challenged or inspired by the quiet example of people around us who demonstrate that material things aren’t what matter most.

“Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? I remember understanding this verse as though God is like a genie in a bottle and prayer is like a delivery service. But when I encountered true hardship, this interpretation was tested. I was seeking, but I couldn’t find what I wanted. My request seemed to go unanswered. I was asking, but my hands were empty. I couldn’t reconcile this. Did this mean God wasn’t telling me the truth? Trusting that couldn’t be the case, I pressed in a little harder.

Are you a Martha or a Mary? How many times have we been presented with that question when we hear today’s Gospel reading? At first ask, similar to many people, I would answer that I’m easily a Martha. I’m a perfectionist in many areas of my life, especially when it comes to my work or when I host dinner for friends and family. In those moments, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best I can be, to do the job well, and demonstrate the utmost hospitality. But as with Martha, too much focus on being “perfect” can cause worry and anxiety. But this year, hearing the story again, I realized something: There are times when I’m able to put those worries and anxieties aside and sit at the feet of Jesus just like Mary did, and I want to make that happen more often.

Do you ever feel as though the concept of God’s plan for your life feels too distant and abstract to perceive? If you raised your hand, just know I’m raising mine, too. The life of a Christian striving for virtue and closeness with our creator is not always simple! But Moses’ words to the Israelites in today’s first reading pierce my heart, even centuries after he spoke them: “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you.” Moses is talking to the Israelites about God's instructions that will lead them to the Promised Land, but it’s a relevant reminder for us, too.

Our calling as disciples of Christ is to evangelize. To be honest, it’s something many of us aren’t entirely comfortable with. Anyone who has ever felt ill-equipped to share the faith with family or friends should be reassured by today’s Gospel. Jesus’ early followers probably felt unprepared to share the news that the kingdom of God was at hand – and they received their marching orders from Jesus himself! When Jesus sent the seventy-two out to proclaim his coming, he knew they would feel insecure.