The truth is that the only key to the Christian
life is the life of Christ; that the only solution to the many problems that thicken round our lives as we live them is to be found in the study of His life as He lived it; and that we shall never begin to understand what we ourselves are until we have begun to understand what He is.
… R. H. J. Steuart (1874-1948)
(". . . your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Col. 3:3-4)
|
JER 17:5-10; PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
LK 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.'"
Reflection on the
Scriptures |
Lent is a time to step back and take stock of what I have become accustomed to through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This orients me to how I can give more fully of myself to my community. If the rich man wasn’t focused on only himself, he may have noticed the needs of Lazarus. By engaging in Lent, I am awakened from the routine of my day and stirred to consider how I respond to the needs of my
community.
As we continue through Lent, I suggest we reflect on the following questions based on today’s Gospel:
- Who or what has been the Lazarus in my experience?
- Have I responded with the compassion and sharing our communities need?
- How can I better notice and tend to the Lazarus around me?
- by Beth
Samson
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 47 “I beheld the property of Mercy, and I beheld the property of Grace: which have two manners
of working in one love “
For I saw full surely that ever as our contrariness worketh to us here in earth pain, shame, and sorrow, right so, on the contrary wise, grace worketh to us in heaven solace, worship, and bliss; and overpassing. And so far forth, that when we come up and receive the sweet reward which grace hath wrought for us, then we shall thank and bless our Lord, endlessly rejoicing that
ever we suffered woe. And that shall be for a property of blessed love that we shall know in God which we could never have known without woe going before. And when I saw all this, it behoved me needs to grant that the mercy of God and the forgiveness is to slacken and waste our wrath.
|
|
|
