It is 4th March 2021.
The readings are from Jeremiah 17:5-10; and the Gospel from Luke 16:19-31.
Is it a blessing to be poor? Yes. Because God knows every poor person by name. Lazarus is the only name given to anyone in Jesus’ parables; it means El-azar,’- God has helped.’
There is a poor Lazarus in our inner being, family, community and in workplaces sitting and begging for mercy and charity. When we offer something to the poor, do we ask their name? How do we treat them?
“We have to reckon seriously with the possibility that the Lazarus of our day are the very ones in whom Jesus, the crucified Lord, is present.” Says Alan Brehm
It is not a sin to be a rich person. The rich man in the parable did no wrong except being indifferent to the poor Lazarus. Eating in gold plates and washing our hands in gold washbasin cannot take us near God or Heaven when it has shut the doors of compassion and love towards the poor. During this time of Lent and thereafter, what are the riches we can share with the other? The priorities to be changed as God values and cherishes what we may have come to take for granted. The parable of Lazarus and the rich man invites us to be considerate to the need of the poor around. Closing our eyes to the poor means to be self-centred, greedy, and insensitive.
A master wanted to teach a lesson to a disciple who was obsessed with materialistic mindset. He called him to his office and asked him to look at the window and asked what he was seeing. He said that he saw poor people in the slum. Then he gave him a mirror in his hand and asked what he saw. He said he saw himself. Then the master looked into his eyes of his disciple and said: “See, what has happened to you. When a little silver comes between you and the world, you see only yourself?”
When charity is blind folded by our priorities, our sensitivity towards the poor is sacrificed.
A global economic disaster and the inequality between the rich and the poor are widening day by day especially during this pandemic. The rich man thought of his brothers not the poor Lazarus. Seeing the plight of the poor and doing nothing about it was the sin of the rich man.
“I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” (Jer.17:10). Trusting in God like Lazarus saves our life.
What are we going to do in improving the lives of the poor around?
May the Lord bless us to be good to the poor around in order to be near God. Have a lovely day. God bless you.