The world knows the rich by name and counts the poor by number. Jesus is different. In the story he tells us today, the rich man is unnamed, while the poor man has a name. Jesus named him after one of his favourite friends, Lazarus. It tells a lot. If Jesus is going to tell a new story and you are a character in it, how will he refer to you? “There was a certain …. man/woman, or there was this man/ woman named ….!” Stay calm for a while in front of Jesus, and find your answer in silence. Amen.

1a Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to you that are wealthy in Sion!

4 You that sleep upon beds of ivory, and are wanton on your couches: that eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the herd;

5 You that sing to the sound of the psaltery: they have thought themselves to have instruments of music like David;

6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best ointments: and they are not concerned for the affliction of Joseph.

7 Wherefore now they shall go captive at the head of them that go into captivity: and the faction of the luxurious ones shall be taken away.

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!

or

R. Alleluia.

7 Who keepeth truth for ever: who executeth judgment for them that suffer wrong: who giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth them that are fettered:

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or

R. Alleluia.

8 The Lord enlighteneth the blind. The Lord lifteth up them that are cast down: the Lord loveth the just.

9a The Lord keepeth the strangers.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or

R. Alleluia.

9bc He will support the fatherless and the widow: and the ways of sinners he will destroy.

10 The Lord shall reign for ever: thy God, O Sion, unto generation and generation.

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or

R. Alleluia.

11 But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith: lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called, and hast confessed a good confession before many witnesses.

13 I charge thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession,

14 That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Which in his times he shall shew who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

16 Who only hath immortality, and inhabiteth light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and empire everlasting. Amen.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

9 Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

19 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen; and feasted sumptuously every day.

20 And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,

21 Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table, and no one did give him; moreover the dogs came, and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell.

23 And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:

24 And he cried, and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.

25 And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazareth evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented.

26 And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither.

27 And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren,

28 That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

29 And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.

31 And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.

9 Rejoice therefore, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart be in that which is good in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: and know that for all these God will bring thee into judgment.

10 Remove anger from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh. For youth and pleasure are vain.

12:1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, and the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not:

2 Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain:

3 When the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall stagger, and the grinders shall be idle in a small number, and they that look through the holes shall be darkened:

4 And they shall shut the doors in the street, when the grinder’s voice shall be low, and they shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall grow deaf.

5 And they shall fear high things, and they shall be afraid in the way, the almond tree shall flourish, the locust shall be made fat, and the caper tree shall be destroyed: because man shall go into the house of his eternity, and the mourners shall go round about in the street.

6 Before the silver cord be broken, and the golden fillet shrink back, and the pitcher be crushed at the fountain, and the wheel be broken upon the cistern,

7 And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, and the spirit return to God, who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes, and all things are vanity.

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

3 Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

5 Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.

6 In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

12 Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

14 We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.

17 And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

10 Our Savior Christ Jesus destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

43b, 44 All were astonished at the mighty power of God. But while all wondered at all the things he did, he said to his disciples: Lay you up in your hearts these words, for it shall come to pass, that the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

45 But they understood not this word; and it was hid from them, so that they perceived it not. And they were afraid to ask him concerning this word.

1 All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.

2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

5 A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

6 A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

8 A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What hath man more of his labour?

10 I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.

R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

1b Blessed be the Lord my God,

2abc My mercy, and my refuge: my support, and my deliverer: My protector, and I have hoped in him.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

3 Lord, what is man, that thou art made known to him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him?

4 Man is like to vanity: his days pass away like a shadow.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

45 The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples also were with him: and he asked them, saying: Whom do the people say that I am?

19 But they answered, and said: John the Baptist; but some say Elias; and others say that one of the former prophets is risen again.

20 And he said to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answering, said: The Christ of God.

21 But he strictly charging them, commanded they should tell this to no man.

22 Saying: The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day rise again.

2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?

4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.

5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,

6 Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.

7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.

8 All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

9 What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.

10 Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.

11 There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

3 Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

5 Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.

6 In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

12 Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

14 We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.

17bc Direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

6 I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

7 Now Herod, the tetrarch, heard of all things that were done by him; and he was in a doubt, because it was said

8 By some, that John was risen from the dead: but by other some, that Elias had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

9 And Herod said: John I have beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things? And he sought to see him.

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

R. (5) Their message goes out through all the earth.

2 The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

3 Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

4 There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

5 Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

9 And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.

10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11 And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?

12 But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill.

13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

1 As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will he shall turn it.

2 Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts.

3 To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

4 Haughtiness of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart: the lamp of the wicked is sin.

5 The thoughts of the industrious always bring forth abundance: but every sluggard is always in want.

6 He that gathereth treasures by a lying tongue, is vain and foolish, and shall stumble upon the snares of death.

10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil, he will not have pity on his neighbour.

11 When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser: and if he follow the wise, he will receive knowledge.

12 The just considereth seriously the house of the wicked, that he may withdraw the wicked from evil.

13 He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself and shall not be heard.

R. (35) Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

27 Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy wondrous works.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

34 Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole heart.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

35 Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

44 So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever.

R. Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

28 Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

19 And his mother and brethren came unto him; and they could not come at him for the crowd.

20 And it was told him: Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

21 Who answering, said to them: My mother and my brethren are they who hear the word of God, and do it.

27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.

28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.

29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.

30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.

31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:

32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.

33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.

34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.

R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

2 He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:

3a He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

3bc Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.

4ab In his sight the malignant is brought to nothing: but he glorifieth them that fear the Lord.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

5 He that hath not put out his money to usury, nor taken bribes against the innocent: He that doth these things shall not be moved for ever.

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

16 Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

16 Now no man lighting a candle covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it upon a candlestick, that they who come in may see the light.

17 For there is not any thing secret that shall not be made manifest, nor hidden, that shall not be known and come abroad.

18 Take heed therefore how you hear. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and whosoever hath not, that also which he thinketh he hath, shall be taken away from him.

4 Hear this, you that crush the poor, and make the needy of the land to fail,

5 Saying: When will the month be over, and we shall sell our wares: and the sabbath, and we shall open the corn: that we may lessen the measure, and increase the sicle, and may convey in deceitful balances,

6 That we may possess the needy for money, and the poor for a pair of shoes, and may sell the refuse of the corn?

7 The Lord hath sworn against the pride of Jacob: surely I will never forget all their works.

R. (1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or

R. Alleluia.

1 Praise the Lord, ye children: praise ye the name of the Lord.

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or

R. Alleluia.

4 The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens.

5 Who is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high:

6 And looketh down on the low things in heaven and in earth?

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or

R. Alleluia.

7 Raising up the needy from the earth, and lifting up the poor out of the dunghill:

8 That he may place him with princes, with the princes of his people.

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

or

R. Alleluia.

1 I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men:

2 For kings, and for all that are in high station: that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

6 Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due times.

7 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an apostle, (I say the truth, I lie not,) a doctor of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I will therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger and contention.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

9 Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

1 And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.

2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.

3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.

4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?

6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty.

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.

9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.

10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater.

11 If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon; who will trust you with that which is the true?

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s; who will give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

35 But some man will say: How do the dead rise again? or with what manner of body shall they come?

36 Senseless man, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first.

37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be; but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption.

43 It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power.

44 It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. If there be a natural body, there is also a spiritual body, as it is written:

45 The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit.

46 Yet that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; afterwards that which is spiritual.

47 The first man was of the earth, earthly: the second man, from heaven, heavenly.

48 Such as is the earthly, such also are the earthly: and such as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly.

49 Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.

R. (14) I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

10c Behold I know thou art my God.

11 In God will I praise the word, in the Lord will I praise his speech.

12 In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me.

R. I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

13 In me, O God, are vows to thee, which I will pay, praises to thee:

14 Because thou hast delivered my soul from death, my feet from falling: that I may please in the sight of God, in the light of the living.

R. I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

15 Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

4 And when a very great multitude was gathered together, and hastened out of the cities unto him, he spoke by a similitude.

5 The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And other some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

7 And other some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, choked it.

8 And other some fell upon good ground; and being sprung up, yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.

10 To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing may not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 And they by the way side are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved.

13 Now they upon the rock, are they who when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation, they fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit.

15 But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.

12 Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen again.

14 And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we have given testimony against God, that he hath raised up Christ; whom he hath not raised up, if the dead rise not again.

16 For if the dead rise not again, neither is Christ risen again.

17 And if Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep:

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

1 Hear, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication. Give ear unto my prayer, which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

6 I have cried to thee, for thou, O God, hast heard me: O incline thy ear unto me, and hear my words.

7 shew forth thy wonderful mercies; thou who savest them that trust in thee.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

8b Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.

15 But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

25 Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

1 And it came to pass afterwards, that he travelled through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God; and the twelve with him:

2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,

3 And Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who ministered unto him of their substance.