Ang Diyos ang aking Tulong

“ Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”

- Mother Teresa

First Reading: Amos 6:1, 4-7

"Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Sama'ria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come! "Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall; who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music; who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those to go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves shall pass away."

Psalm: Psalm 146:7-10

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 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, I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 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.

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.'

But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides 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.' And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

Pagninilay

Ang mayaman at ang pulubing si Lazaro ang mga pangunahing karakter sa ating pagbasa ngayong linggo. Ipinakita ang labis na pagsisisi ng mayaman nang siya ang nakadama ng hirap sa impiyerno samantalang si Lazaro ay masayang tinatamasa ang magandang buhay sa kalangitan. Ito ay pawang kabaliktaran noong pareho pa silang namumuhay sa lupa. Ang mayaman ay lubos na nagpapasasa sa yaman, magagarang damit, malaking bahay at masasarap na pagkain samantalang si Lazaro ay isang pobre lamang, may sakit at umaasa sa mga nahuhulog na mumo sa hapagkainan ng mayaman.

Sa parabulang ito, tanging ang pulubi ang binigyan ng pangalan, Lazaro na ang ibig sabihin ay “Ang Diyos ang aking Tulong”. Tunay at totoo lamang na ang Diyos ang ating takbuhan sa kahit ano mang sitwasyon natin sa buhay. Kung tayo ay may problema, kung tayo ay malungkot, kung tayo ay nasa panganib, kung tayo ay nahihirapan at nabibigatan na sa ating mga problema, kung tayo ay nagiisa, tanging sya lamang ang ating takbuhan. Siya ang nagbibigay kasagutan sa lahat ng ating mga tanong, nagtuturo kung ano ang gagawin sa bawat problemang dumarating, nagpapadala ng saklolo kapag tayo ay nasa panganib, umaakap at nagsasabi sa atin na mahal na mahal niya tayo at di tayo nagiisa. Ito ay ating madadama lamang kung lubos ang ating pagtitiwala sa kaniya at naniniwala sa kaniyang butihing grasya.

May mga sitwasyon din sa aking buhay na dumanas ng pagkalungkot, kailangan ng kalinga kapag nagiisa at nung ako ay nagkasakit. Mahirap harapin ang mga sitwasyong ganito kaya naman ang Diyos lang ang aking naging lakas. Siya ang nagbibigay ng katatagan para harapin ng may ngiti ang bawat pagsubok at totoo ngang nalampasan ko din ang mga ito sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang grasiya. Makikita din natin sa istorya ngayon ang katatagan at pananampalataya ni Lazaro. Bagamat mahirap ang kaniyang sitwasyon, siya ay hindi nagreklamo, naghinanakit o nagalit sa mayaman. Mas pinili pa niyang isipin na napaka swerte pa rin niya at kahit di sya pinapansin at tinutulungan ng mayaman ay kuntento na siya sa kung ano man ang makuha niyang tirang pagkain. Di man natin malasap ang kaginhawaan dito sa mundong ito, nakakasiguro tayo na sa kabilang buhay ay kasaganaan at magandang buhay ang ating matatamasa dahil kasama na natin ang Diyos sa kaniyang kaharian.

Panalangin

Mahal na Panginoong Diyos, lubos ang aming pasasalamat sa pagbabahagi sa amin ng mabuting balitang ito. Humihingi po kami ng tawad sa mga sandali na kami ay naging katulad ng mayaman na nakalimutan ang tumulong o magbahagi ng aming yaman sa mga nangangailangan. Sa mga sandali rin na hindi kami lubos na nagtiwala sa Iyo at nawalan ng pagasa, patawarin Mo kami Panginoon. Nawa ang katauhan ni Lazaro ay magsilbing inspirasyon sa amin upang umasa at magtiwala sa Iyong tulong habang hinaharap naming ang mga pagsubok sa buhay. Amen.