HOMILY OF THE THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF LENT
Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31
THEME: THE ETERNAL BENEFITS OF BEING SENSITIVE
QUOTE: True help goes beyond helping people obtain their daily needs. It requires assisting others to achieve their goal in life.
“Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried”
After their death, the poor man was carried to the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man was buried. The difference in the description of their end gives us a glimpse of their hereafter.
It takes sensitivity to be truly good. We can be good but lack the knowledge of how to show it. If we do not apply wisdom, we may be charitable to the wrong people or wrong cause.
Moreover, there are several rich people today who do not know what to do with their riches. they keep piling up wealth for no just reason while countless souls are languishing in poverty. The cry of the poor oftentimes makes no meaning to them. They derive personal joy in displaying their wealth.
However, some rich people are not guilty of this type of extreme stinginess. Their only fault is not doing enough or not going out of their way to look for those who need help. The sin of Dives, which he demonstrated in todays gospel, is the sin of omission and not of commission. Poor Lazarus was always with him, feeding from the crumbs that fell from his table but he didn’t see the need to lighten Lazarus’ sufferings. He thought it was enough to feed him with leftovers just to keep him alive. He did not consider it important to work towards giving him a better life.
Therefore, anyone who is only ready to feed us but not ready to establish us is not our destiny helper. True help goes beyond helping people obtain their daily needs. It requires assisting others to achieve their goal in life. Don’t wait to be called upon before you help people. Sensitive people can easily understand that people need help.
Oh God open our hearts that we may see and know where we are truly needed. Amen.
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