THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Thursday of the second week of Lent, 2022

Jer 17:5-10

Ps 1

Luke 16:19-31

Feast of St Patrick

Rich but poor

Dear friends in Christ, today we celebrate the Feast of St Patrick, the Apostle to the people of Ireland. Patrick rose from slavery to become the Apostle to the same land, where he had been a slave and by his own exemplary living, united the nation, in one faith to Christ. 

Our first reading today is from the Prophet Jeremiah (17:5-10) and he sees poverty from the angle of trust in God. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert…Blessed is the man whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water…it does not fail to bear fruit.” The greatest form of poverty is to turn away from God, for such a person becomes shallow minded and trusts only in material things. He then becomes a slave of money, a victim of his material wealth and will do all things to serve his master—mammon—even at the expense of other people and his faith.

In the gospel (Luke 16:19-31), we are presented with the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man had all the security and comfort money can buy and anyone can desire. Lazarus had not even the barest necessity—he had no home, no money, no clothes, no food, no good health—no security whatsoever and no hope of a better future, nothing can be worse. Death came in as the way of all the earth, returning both to dust. The life on earth is shorter than what eternity offers. Where will you spend your eternity? If you fail to notice the Lazarus living by you now, how do you expect Lazarus to come and cool your tongue?

Something is very clear in this story, the rich man knew Lazarus, he recognised him, he knew his name—is that not true, that we truly know the poor ones in  our community, we just do not see the need to help, just do not see why we should help, just do not think we have enough to help or just do not have the time to help. When all the bustle and hustle of the world are ended and you have all the time—eternity before you, will you then notice Lazarus? Be careful not to be like this rich man, he wanted Lazarus to even return to the world to warn his brothers but they have Moses (one pulled out of water). Every Christian is a Moses, redeemed by the waters of Baptism and called to warn the rich man. I hope you will do your bit and if you are the rich man, you will heed the warnings.

Let us pray: Lord, help us to practice the corporal works of mercy in which you call us to come to the help of the Lazarus next to us. Amen. 

+Remain blessed