Thursday of the Second Week in Lent
Today we have the familiar and challenging gospel passage (Luke 16: 19-31) of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. I find that it’s easy to judge the rich man in the story and dismiss any personal association with him. After all, I’m not a rich man in purple robes dining on sumptuous feasts. But taking some time to reflect, I have to ask myself: Do I live selfishly, ignoring the needs of the poor? In my own pursuit of comfort, clothes to look good in, the pleasure of good food and a nice home, am I blind to those in need? Yes, we have some awareness of the homeless and those living in poverty, but what about the poor people in China and developing countries that are working for very little pay, often in unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to make the clothes we wear and the trinkets we buy? “More for less” the stores convince us, but at what cost? What injustices am I benefitting from?
I once heard someone reflect on this parable that perhaps the rich man wasn’t necessarily cruel in ignoring poor Lazarus at his door; perhaps he was blind to him. What don’t we see? Am I oblivious to the poor living on the streets, the immigrants struggling to survive, the single mom trying to work to support her family and then left with no energy or time to give to them?
Like the rich man, we can end up creating a chasm between ourselves and God in our blind pursuit of our own comfort, wealth and security, while Lazarus remains close to God, resting in the bosom of Abraham. Where do I place my trust, my hope? In the comfort of material wealth and possessions like the rich man, or in the Lord like Lazarus who is close to God who hears the cry of the poor?
As the prophet Jeremiah tells us in the first reading (Jeremiah 17: 5-10), “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks strength in flesh…. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream.” If we place our trust and our hope in the Lord we will be like the tree planted beside the waters, even when the heat comes, troubles arise, its leaves stay green, and in the year of drought it shows no distress but still bears fruit.
This lent, let us be strengthened by placing our trust and hope in the Lord so that as we become like a tree planted near water, we may bear fruit and be aware of and attend to the needs of others, especially the poor. Then we will be blessed and find ourselves close to the Lord like Lazarus, rather than cut off from God like the rich man.
“Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” (from Psalm 1)
- Eileen Miller