Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Lectionary: 233
Lectionary: 233
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
Responsorial PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Verse Before The GospelSEE LK 8:15
Blessed are they
who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
GospelLK 16:19-31
Jesus said to the
Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’”
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Meditation: Lazarus was carried to Abraham's bosom
What sustains you when trials and affliction come your way? The
prophet Jeremiah tells us that whoever relies on God will not be disappointed
or be in want when everything around them dries up or disappears (Jeremiah
17:7-8). God will not only be their consolation, but their inexhaustible source
of hope and joy as well.
Jesus' parable about the afflictions of the poor man Lazarus
brings home a similar point. In this story Jesus paints a dramatic scene of
contrasts - riches and poverty, heaven and hell, compassion and indifference,
inclusion and exclusion. We also see an abrupt and dramatic reversal of
fortune. Lazarus was not only poor, but sick and unable to fend for
himself. He was "laid" at the gates of the rich man's house.
The dogs which licked his sores probably also stole the little bread he got for
himself. Dogs in the ancient world symbolized contempt. Enduring the torment of
these savage dogs only added to the poor man's miseries and sufferings. The
rich man treated the beggar with contempt and indifference, until he found his
fortunes reversed at the end of his life! In God's economy, those who hold on
possessively to what they have, lose it all in the end, while those who share
generously receive back many times more than they gave way.
The name Lazarus means God is my help.
Despite a life of misfortune and suffering, Lazarus did not lose hope in God.
His eyes were set on a treasure stored up for him in heaven. The rich man, however,
could not see beyond his material wealth and possessions. He not only had every
thing he needed, he selfishly spent all he had on himself. He was too absorbed
in what he possessed to notice the needs of those around him. He lost sight of
God and the treasure of heaven because he was preoccupied with seeking
happiness in material things. He served wealth rather than God. In the end the
rich man became a beggar!
Do you know the joy and freedom of possessing God as your true
and lasting treasure? Those who put their hope and security in heaven will not
be disappointed (see Hebrews 6:19).
"Lord Jesus, you are my joy and my treasure. Make me rich
in the things of heaven and give me a generous heart that I may freely
share with others the spiritual and material treasures you have given to
me."
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Too Late for Change? |
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March 5, 2015. Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
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Luke 16: 19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees "There was a rich man who
dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And
lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would
gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man´s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was
carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and
was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his
eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out,
´Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.´
Abraham replied, ´My child, remember that you received what was good during
your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is
comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a
great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to
go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.´ He said, ´Then I beg
you, father, send him to my father´s house, for I have five brothers, so that
he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.´ But Abraham
replied, ´They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.´ He
said, ´Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they
will repent.´ Then Abraham said, ´If they will not listen to Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the
dead.´"
Introductory Prayer: Lord, although I cannot see you with my
eyes, I believe you are present to me now, in my innermost being, and that
you know me far better than I know myself. I also know that you love me much
more than I love my own self. Thank you for loving and watching over me,
though I don’t deserve your love. In return, I offer you my sorrow for my
sins and my hopes to love you more each day.
Petition: Lord, help me to be generous and serve the needs of my
neighbor.
1. Self-centeredness Is Useless and Sinful: The rich man lived in
isolated luxury, absorbed with the latest in fashion and the finest in
dining. He did not hurt anyone: He didn’t run Lazarus off his property. He
didn’t mind Lazarus hanging around his table for the leftovers. He didn’t
criticize him for not getting a job to earn a living. Then what was the rich
man’s sin? He didn’t treat Lazarus as a person. To the rich man, Lazarus was
simply a part of the landscape. How many people do I come in contact with,
perhaps repeatedly, who are nothing more to me than part of the landscape?
2. Suffering Helps Us Grow: Our words “compassion”
and “sympathy” come from Latin and Greek roots that mean to “suffer with.”
Our personal suffering makes us more humane and opens us up to the plight of
others. Our vision becomes more perceptive of other’s hardships, and our
hearts become quicker to respond compassionately. Yet suffering can be a double-edged
sword. It can also push us into envy, hatred, bitterness and isolation if we
are proud, or if we forget that God permits trials to purify our love. How
have I responded to suffering in my life? Has it made me more compassionate
or more bitter and self-centered?
3. There Is More to Life Than Riches: Suffering also makes us
more zealous for souls, more apostolic. Unfortunately for his brothers, the
rich man’s zeal was a “zeal come lately.” Because he spent all his energy and
fortune in avoiding suffering, he was totally absorbed in self. The meaning
of his life was completely temporal, and in the end he had nothing to show
for it. One of our greatest sufferings in purgatory will be the realization
that we could have done so much more for the salvation of souls.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I have had a chance
to look more seriously at myself in this meditation and to examine if my
heart is set on you, if you are my treasure. Perhaps in some areas I still
cling to the treasures of this world. But now I want to get rid of them
completely. I know that my heart can be set on only one thing and that it
will radiate with whatever fills it. Fill me with yourself, so that I may
radiate you. Anything that is not you cripples my efforts to give you to
others. Rid me of my selfishness. Make me your apostle.
Resolution: I will pray for someone who is difficult for me to love, and I
will be kind to a stranger.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, LUKE 16:19-21
Lenten Weekday
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Psalm 1)
Lenten Weekday
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (v 31).
TO KNOW: In Jesus' day, it was believed that prosperity was a sign of God's favor and suffering a sign of God's displeasure. Jesus told a parable that was counter-cultural to this idea. In the story, a rich man feasted in sumptuous luxury while Lazarus, a poor man, suffered from disease and starvation at his gates. When the rich man died he ended up in Sheol, the abode of the dead where the wicked were consigned. When Lazarus died he was escorted to the bosom of Abraham, a metaphor for the resting place of the righteous (In the Old Testament death was described as "lying down with the ancestors," Gn 15:15, 47:30). The irony was that in their lifetimes, a chasm of poverty and wealth existed between Lazarus and the rich man, whereas in death there was an abyss of punishment and reward between them. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his family so that they might avoid his fate. Abraham replied that Moses and the prophets had already proclaimed God's word, and if the rich man's family failed to listen to the warnings in Scripture, they would not be convinced even if someone rose from the dead (an allusion to Jesus' own resurrection).
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, open my eyes this Lent to see the suffering people at my doorstep.
TO SERVE: What is my parish doing for the poor? Do I help?
Thursday 5 March 2015
Jeremiah 17:5-10. Happy are
they who hope in the Lord—Ps 1:1-4, 6. Luke 16:19-31.
Today’s gospel paints a
graphic picture.
Jesus isn’t telling us what
Hades is like, but rather focuses on what is central to our lives now. The
prophet Jeremiah makes the same point, and his images of drought and foliage
really fire our Australian imagination.
Describing our experience
of the Lord requires honesty and discernment, which are surely just other words
for having eyes to see where the Lord is making himself known around us. But we
can all share one vision: the image of rising from the dead that concludes the
gospel is the one that captures all our longings and needs in every time and
culture.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Pray for Humility
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Humility is possible only for the free. Those who are secure in
the Father’s love, have no need of pomp and circumstance or people fawning on
them. They know who they are, where they’ve come from, and where they are
going. Not taking themselves too seriously, they can laugh at themselves. The
proud cannot.
March
5
St. John Joseph of the Cross
(1654-1734)
St. John Joseph of the Cross
(1654-1734)
Self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward
greater charity—as the life of St. John Joseph shows.
John
Joseph was very ascetic even as a young man. At 16 he joined the Franciscans in
Naples; he was the first Italian to follow the reform movement of St. Peter
Alcantara. John Joseph’s reputation for holiness prompted his superiors to put
him in charge of establishing a new friary even before he was ordained.
Obedience
moved John Joseph to accept appointments as novice master, guardian and,
finally, provincial. His years of mortification enabled him to offer these
services to the friars with great charity. As guardian he was not above working
in the kitchen or carrying the wood and water needed by the friars.
When his
term as provincial expired, John Joseph dedicated himself to hearing
confessions and practicing mortification, two concerns contrary to the spirit
of the dawning Age of Enlightenment. John Joseph was canonized in 1839.
Comment:
John Joseph’s mortification allowed him to be the kind of forgiving superior intended by St. Francis. Self-denial should lead us to charity—not to bitterness; it should help us clarify our priorities and make us more loving. John Joseph is living proof of Chesterton’s observation: "It is always easy to let the age have its head; the difficult thing is to keep one’s own" (G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, page 101).
John Joseph’s mortification allowed him to be the kind of forgiving superior intended by St. Francis. Self-denial should lead us to charity—not to bitterness; it should help us clarify our priorities and make us more loving. John Joseph is living proof of Chesterton’s observation: "It is always easy to let the age have its head; the difficult thing is to keep one’s own" (G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, page 101).
Quote:
"And by this I wish to know if you love the Lord God and me, his servant and yours—if you have acted in this manner: that is, there should not be any brother in the world who has sinned, however much he may have possibly sinned, who, after he has looked into your eyes, would go away without having received your mercy, if he is looking for mercy. And if he were not to seek mercy, you should ask him if he wants mercy. And if he should sin thereafter a thousand times before your very eyes, love him more than me so that you may draw him back to the Lord. Always be merciful to [brothers] such as these" (St. Francis, Letter to a Minister).
"And by this I wish to know if you love the Lord God and me, his servant and yours—if you have acted in this manner: that is, there should not be any brother in the world who has sinned, however much he may have possibly sinned, who, after he has looked into your eyes, would go away without having received your mercy, if he is looking for mercy. And if he were not to seek mercy, you should ask him if he wants mercy. And if he should sin thereafter a thousand times before your very eyes, love him more than me so that you may draw him back to the Lord. Always be merciful to [brothers] such as these" (St. Francis, Letter to a Minister).
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 16,19-31
Lectio:
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Lent Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
many of us never had it so good
and so we have become smug and self-satisfied,happy in our own little world.
God, may our ears remain open to your word
and our hearts to you
and to our brothers and sisters.
Do not allow us to forget you,
or to place our trust in ourselves.
Make us restless for you
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
many of us never had it so good
and so we have become smug and self-satisfied,happy in our own little world.
God, may our ears remain open to your word
and our hearts to you
and to our brothers and sisters.
Do not allow us to forget you,
or to place our trust in ourselves.
Make us restless for you
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2)
GOSPEL READING - LUKE 16, 19-31
'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen
and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there used to lie a poor man
called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with what fell
from the rich man's table. Even dogs came and licked his sores.
Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by
the angels into Abraham's embrace. The rich man also died and was buried. 'In
his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus
in his embrace. So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity 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." Abraham said, "My son, remember that during your life
you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is
being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us
and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from
our side to yours or from your side to ours." 'So he said, "Father, I
beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, since I have five brothers,
to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment
too." Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them
listen to them." The rich man replied, "Ah no, father Abraham, but if
someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." Then Abraham said
to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they
will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."
3)
REFLECTION
• Every time that Jesus has something important to communicate,
he creates a story and tells a parable. In this way, through the reflection on
an invisible reality, he leads those who listen to him to discover the
invisible call of God, who is present in life. A parable is made to make us
think and reflect. For this reason it is important to pay attention even to the
smallest details. In the parable in today’s Gospel there are three persons. The
poor Lazarus, the rich man without a name and Father Abraham. In the parable,
Abraham represents the thought of God. The rich man without a name represents
the dominating ideology of that time. Lazarus represents the silent cry of the poor
of the time of Jesus and of all times.
• Luke 16, 19-21: The situation of the rich man and the poor
man. The two extremes of society. On the one side, aggressive richness, on the
other the poor man without resources, without rights, covered with wounds,
without anybody to accept him, to receive him, except the dogs which came to
lick his wounds. What separates both of them is the closed door of the house of
the rich man. On the part of the rich man, there is no acceptance nor pity
concerning the problem of the poor man at his door. But the poor man has a name
and the rich man does not. That is, the poor man has his name written in the
book of life, not the rich one. The poor man’s name is Lazarus. It means God
helps. And through the poor man, God helps the rich man who could have a name
in the book of life. But the rich man does not accept to be helped by the poor
man, because he keeps his door closed. This beginning of the parable which
describes the situation, is a faithful mirror of what was happening during the
time of Jesus and the time of Luke. It is the mirror of everything which is
happening today in the world!
• Luke 16, 22: The change which reveals the hidden truth. The
poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s embrace. The
rich man also died and was buried. In the parable the poor man dies before the
rich one. This is an advertisement for the rich. Up to the time when the poor
man is alive and is at the door, there is still the possibility of salvation
for the rich man. But after the poor man dies, the only instrument of salvation
for the rich man also dies. Now, the poor man is in Abraham’s embrace. The
embrace of Abraham is the source of life, from where the People of God is born,
Lazarus, the poor man, forms part of the People of Abraham, from which he was
excluded, when he was before the door of the rich man. The rich man who
believes that he is a son of Abraham does not go toward the embrace of Abraham!
The introduction of the parable ends here. Now its significance begins to be
revealed, through the three conversations between the rich man and Father
Abraham.
• Luke 16, 23-26: The first conversation. In the parable, Jesus
opens a window on the other side of life, the side of God. It is not a question
of Heaven. It is a question of life which only faith generates and which the
rich man who has no faith cannot perceive. It is only in the light of death
that the ideology of the empire disintegrates and appears for him what the true
value of life is. On the part of God, without the deceiving propaganda of the
ideology, things change. The rich man sees Lazarus in the embrace of Abraham
and asks to be helped in his suffering. The rich man discovers that Lazarus is
his only possible benefactor. But now, it is too late! The rich man without a
name is pious, because he recognizes Abraham and calls him Father Abraham
responds and calls him son. In reality this word of Abraham is addressed to all
the rich who are alive. In so far as they are alive, they have the possibility
to become sons and daughters of Abraham, if they know how to open the door to
Lazarus, the poor man, the only one who in God’s name can help them. Salvation
for the rich man does not consist in Lazarus giving him a drop of fresh water
to refresh his tongue, but rather, that he, the rich man, open the closed door
to the poor man so as fill the great abyss that exists.
• Luke 16, 27-29: The second conversation. The rich man insists:
“Then, Father, I beg you to send Lazarus to my father’s house, because I have
five brothers!” The rich man does not want his brothers to end in the same
place of suffering. Lazarus, the poor man, is the only true intermediary
between God and the rich. He is the only one, because it is only to the poor
that the rich have to return what they had and, thus, re-establish the justice
which has been damaged! The rich man is worried for his brothers, but was never
concerned about the poor! Abraham’s response is clear: “They have Moses and the
Prophets; let them listen to them!” They have the Bible! The rich man had the
Bible. He knew it by heart. But he was never aware of the fact that the Bible
had something to do with the poor. The key which the rich man has in order to
be able to understand the Bible is the poor man sitting at his door!
• Luke 16, 30-31: The third conversation. “No, Abraham, but if
someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent!” The rich man recognizes
that he is wrong, he has committed an error, because he speaks of repenting,
something which he never heard during his life. He wants a miracle, a
resurrection! But this type of resurrection does not exist. The only
resurrection is that of Jesus. Jesus, risen from the dead comes to us in the
person of the poor, of those who have no rights, of those who have no land, of
those who have no food, of those who have no house, of those who have no
health. In his final response, Abraham is clear and convincing, forceful: “If
they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be
convinced even if someone should rise from the dead!” The conversation ends
this way! This is the end of the parable!
• The key to understand the sense of the Bible is the poor
Lazarus, sitting before the door! God presents himself in the person of the
poor, sitting at our door, to help us cover the enormous abyss which the rich
have created. Lazarus is also Jesus, the poor and servant Messiah, who was not
accepted, but whose death changed all things radically. And everything changes
in the light of the death of the poor. The place of torment, of torture is the
situation of the person without God. Even if the rich man thinks that he has
religion and faith, in fact, he is not with God because he does not open the
door to the poor, as Zacchaeus did. (Lk 19, 1-10).
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• How do we treat the poor? Do they have a name for us? In the
attitude that I have before them, am I like Lazarus or like the rich man?
• When the poor enter in contact with us, do they perceive
something different? Do they perceive the Good News? And I, to which side do I
tend, toward the miracle or toward God’s Word?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs his law day and night. (Ps 1,1-2)
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs his law day and night. (Ps 1,1-2)
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