FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD
MARCH 9, 2023
SECOND THURSDAY OF LENT
WORD 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. (Luke 16: 19-21)
“How shall I live this Word? 
Let’s learn to the make choices Jesus tells us. The situations in which we find ourselves living offer us situations in which we are called to have criteria for judgement. What drives our choices? Greed or compassion? Every choice we make builds the time in front of us, just as the past was built by the choices we made. So how do we want to prepare for the future? Making the same mistakes? Like the “rich man” who doesn’t even have a name – so much has pride obscured his identity – or like Lazarus who has God as his only help? Lazarus means ‘God helps’. The rich man has not understood that in the poor man it is the same ‘God-who-helps’. God Himself asked to be helped. Usually those who are self-sufficient do not need help; their heart becomes hard to requests for help from others. They find within themselves the solution to their needs and close themselves off to those who create problems.
O Spirit of God, give us the awareness of our being children in Jesus, creating in us that attitude of humility that sees in the other a gift to live. By giving or welcoming attention and help, enlighten our heart in knowing how to recognize and welcome Jesus!
The Voice of Pope Francis General Audience 18 May 2016
Lazarus lying at the door is a living reminder to the rich man to remember God, but the rich man does not grasp this reminder. Thus, he will be condemned, not because of his wealth, but because he was incapable of feeling compassion for Lazarus and helping him.
E-mail: srmterzo@gmail.com Website: www.sanbiagio.org info@sanbiagio.org Blog: livingscripture.wordpress.com Comment by Sr. Monica Gianoli, FMA
