Sunday Readings for September 27-28, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
The Scriptures for this Sunday are not simply a warning about the potential complacency trap of wealth, but about the greater importance of compassion and of listening to the prophets among us. In every age, God’s people have needed prophets — not too often those who foretell the future, but rather those who reveal the truth of God in the present moment.
We live in a world saturated with prophets,” — social media posts and political pundit proclamations — all claiming to be an authority. In this age of endless scrolling and instant comments, the voices of true prophets can be hard to discern. With a few taps on a keyboard, anyone can crown themselves a messenger of truth, their words amplified across the digital wilderness. How many times in recent years have you heard confident proclamations, even precise dates, foretelling the world’s end? And yet, if you are reading these words now, the earth is still turning, the sun still rises, and life continues upon its God-given course.
True prophets help us see what we would rather ignore: the many faces of Lazarus suffering at our gates, the injustices of poverty and discrimination woven into our systems, the idols (take your pick) that we quietly serve. True prophets speak in ways that strengthen, encourage, and comfort, always pointing toward God rather than themselves. Like the prophets of old, their words bear lasting fruit, inspire transformation and draw people closer to God’s ways.
Sharing in the prophetic message of Jesus is not reserved for a choice few. By virtue of our Baptism, each of us is called to be attentive to God’s voice, to speak the truth in love, and to live in ways that form our lives into guideposts pointing toward the Kingdom.
Being a prophet in our time may not mean standing on a mountaintop calling nations to repentance. It may simply mean speaking truth in love when silence is easier, defending the dignity of the overlooked when a blind eye would be more comfortable, or offering hope when we see despair taking root. Prophecy is a call to be watchful for the subtle ways that injustice, fear, or indifference to the Lazaruses of our time creep into our communities, and to speak out with courage and compassion.
The task always before us is to continue to grow more authentic in our prophetic call: through the conversations we have, the choices we make, and the witness we bear. It means continually aligning our lives with the heart and ways of Christ, rather than slipping into empty habits or performances to garner the approval of others.
Discipleship means being authentic — walking alongside others, sharing in their struggles and victories, speaking when they cannot — and not turning away from the despairing faces at our gates. Like Lazarus, the poor and marginalized of our day have names, stories, and God-given dignity. And like the prophets, we are called to make them seen, to speak truth with courage and to bridge indifference.
The readings for Sunday, September 28, can be found at Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB.