Today’s first reading says, “The Lord is a God of justice who knows no favorites.” While we humans show deference to people we admire or give preferential treatment to those we like, God loves all his creatures with the same perfect love. But then the reading goes on to say something that seems to contradict that opening line, even suggesting that God has a soft spot in his heart for the poor: “Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.”

GROW: Studying Scripture is not a side dish on the plate of practicing the faith. It is an essential component of the virtuous life, and without it, our faith will surely falter. In his second letter to Timothy, Saint Paul reminds us that the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God and they train us in righteous living and equip us for every good work. There will undoubtedly be times when we feel ill-equipped – when we are fatigued, frustrated, or concerned. It is precisely in these moments that we’re invited to go quickly to the holy Word of God! Read it, pray with it, and invite the Spirit to speak to you through it. There you will find the wisdom needed to face every circumstance.

After his healing in the Jordan river, Naaman returns to Elisha. It’s clear from their ensuing conversation that his miraculous healing had led to him recognizing the God of Israel as the one who had healed him. In thanksgiving, he desires to offer sacrifice, and pledges that he “will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except the Lord.” In the Gospel, we see the Samaritan returning to Jesus after his healing, falling at the Lord’s feet and “glorifying God in a loud voice.” It’s clear from both Scriptures that when we recognize what God has done for us, our first response is to worship.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples: “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” I think what Jesus is drawing us to see is the humility we need as his disciples. It’s easy to get puffed up, thinking, “Well, I’ve done this” or “I’ve done that” in service of God. We can even start to feel that God owes us. But we are called to love God for God’s own sake, not for the accolades or even the reward that comes from faithfully serving him.

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.