The 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time | Sunday 25 September 2022

Today is Sunday the 25th of September, beginning the 26th week of Ordinary Time.



Bifrost Arts sing, ‘Wisdom and Grace’.


Teach us to number our days
That we may apply our hearts to Your ways
O! Teach us to number our days
With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.
Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace
You've been our home and our dwelling
Our place in all generations.
Before the earth or the mountains were formed,
Lord, You were God.
Teach us to number our days
That we may apply our hearts to Your ways
O! Teach us to number our days
With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.
Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace
Now the span of our lives,
It is made of sorrow and labour
As the days pass away like the grass
How soon we are gone.
Teach us to number our days
That we may apply our hearts to Your ways
O! Teach us to number our days
With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.
Wisdom and grace
Let the work of our hands bring you praise,
Set Your favour upon us.
O establish the work of our hands,
May Your kingdom come!
Teach us to number our days
That we may apply our hearts to Your ways
O! Teach us to number our days
With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.
Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 16:19-31

‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”’

As we pray with this passage today, begin by sweeping your senses over what you have just heard… what is staying with you?


Perhaps a colour…the purple fine linen… the heat of the flames… The dryness of the rich man’s tongue ...

Imagine the scene on earth… the rich man feasting…Lazarus suffering… notice what feelings or thoughts stir up in you…

Now ponder the scenes after their deaths… the whole order of life flipped upside down… how do you imagine Hades and the rich man’s agony? How do you imagine Lazarus, in great comfort with Abraham?


As the passage is read again, let the whole story come to life with your five senses…


“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” Finish your time of prayer by talking with Jesus about this story…the one who did rise from the dead…are you convinced?


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.