SERMON/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY SECOND WEEK OF LENT 29TH FEBRUARY 2024

SERMON/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY SECOND WEEK OF LENT 29TH FEBRUARY 2024

Jeremiah 17:5-10; Ps.1; Luke 16:19-31

Help according to your capacity

In the first reading of today, the Lord speaking through Prophet Jeremiah, says that the man who puts his trust in man is cursed, while the man who puts his trust in God is truly blessed. The reason is that the help of man is limited and so cannot stand the test of time; but the help of God is unlimited and ever available. In the gospel reading, Jesus used the example of the Rich man and Lazarus to demonstrate this truth.

The name of the rich man is not known only that he was wealthy. This is quite common. For example, when a man acquires a chieftaincy title, people no longer refer to him by his name but by “Chief”. If you ask after him using his name, people may refer you to his namesake in the neighbourhood. But then, this was not a problem. The rich man is not shown to be a sinner, a lawbreaker or one who is lackadaisical towards temple worship. His eventual condemnation arose from his insensitivity to the plight of sick poor Lazarus at his gate.

Lazarus was not a relative of the rich man; so the rich man is not guilty of abandoning a family member. Lazarus was not a staff of the rich man; so we cannot accuse him of unjust wage or of not paying Lazarus at all. Lazarus was not the rich man’s gate keeper; yet the rich man allowed him to take refuge at his gate and also to eat from crumbs that fell off his table. So we cannot say that the rich man totally neglected Lazarus. What then was the problem?

The problem was not that the rich man never cared at all; but that he offered only the barest minimum care when he had the capacity to do more. He was a Christian but a mediocre. He simply gave to Lazarus (shelter and food) what was of no use to him. He did not share with Lazarus what was still useful to him. The rich man trusted that his life depended on his wealth and so will not let some of it go. He forgot that the source of his wealth was not his hardwork but God’s graciousness.

In Luke 6:36-38, Jesus says that when we are merciful, mercy will be shown us; when we give, we will also be given. The rich man did not show mercy to Lazarus on earth, so mercy could not be shown to him too after death. Most probably, Lazarus may have been telling the rich man “thank you” for allowing him fed with what fell from his table, yet the man is guilty of insensitivity. The true measure of the goodness of our action is not the appreciation we get from people but the true extent to which God has blessed us. Beloved, when we do good below our capacity, we do no good at all.

The blessings of a child of God comes from his trust in God not in the number of things he hordes.