Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Mother Theresa once said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” Here the saint is telling us that the greatest poverty is not the material poverty but the spiritual poverty and emotional poverty. This poverty is when one does not live with intentionality and a sense of purpose, that comes from God, but one merely exists, like a feather being blow this way and that way by the wind with no sense of direction.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speaks of severely of this type of spiritual poverty in us, saying: "If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead." In other words, because of the hardness of our hearts, we choose not to listen to God's messengers on earth, those who Christ chose to be his shepherds - the Pope, the bishops, and priests -, to spread the Good News of the Gospel, and to carry out the mission of the Church. Jesus is saying that if we do not heed the words of those who He has chosen and sent, then we most likely would not listen to him. These words of Christ should convict us to the core of our being and move us to make changes in our lives so that we do not end up like the rich man, who is spiritually dead.
For this reason, the Church gives us the season of Lent so that, through the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we may live again spiritually and have new life in Christ. Moreover, Lent is a reminder for us the Jesus - fully divine but also fully human - was able to resist the temptations and lures of Satan through not only his knowledge of Scripture, of a robust prayer life and spirituality. Let us be imitators of Christ Jesus in this way.
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Gospel of the Day
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.'"
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