DAILY- HOMILY

March 20, 2014
Thursday 2nd Week of Lent 

Jer 17: 5-10 / Ps 1: 1-2, 3, 4, 6 / Lk 16: 19-31

Reading: Jer 17: 5-10   
This is what Yahweh says, "Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings and depends on a mortal for his life, while his heart is drawn away from Yahweh! He is like a bunch of thistles in dry land, in parched desert places, in a salt land where no one lives and who never finds happiness. Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Yahweh and whose confidence is in him! He is like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots towards the stream. He has no fear when the heat comes, his leaves are always green; the year of drought is no problem and he can always bear fruit. Most deceitful is the heart. What is there within man, who can understand him? I, Yahweh, search the heart and penetrate the mind. I reward each one according to his ways and the fruit of his deeds.   
   
Gospel: Lk 16: 19-31
Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted every day. At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores, who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man's table. Even dogs used to come and lick his sores. It happened that the poor man died and angels carried him to take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From hell where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with him Lazarus at rest. He called out: 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus with the tip of his finger dipped in water to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire.' Abraham replied: 'My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off while the lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort and you are in agony. But that is not all Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can cross over from here to you or from your side to us.' The rich man implored once more: 'Then I beg you, Father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my father's house where my five brothers live. Let him warn them so that they may not end up in this place of torment.' Abraham replied: 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' But the rich man said: 'No, Father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Abraham said: 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the grave.'"

Reflection:
     This is a story we must have heard many times before. And by now, for the nth time, perhaps we have become numb, unaffected, indifferent. The beggars in our streets are so common we take them for granted. The small children deprived of their playful childhood to earn some money for the family by selling sampaguita flowers around the church makes no difference to us. The garbage collectors ask for some cold water to drink on a hot summer day and we do not even bother. Many times we experience the "rich man" in us. Our hearts have become "stony hearts." (Ez 36:26) And perhaps, we shall "see" with our hearts only when we find ourselves really poor like Lazarus.
     When were those times we felt like Lazarus? When were those moments of the "rich man" in us? As we reflect on poverty in order to jolt us proactively, let us beg for the grace to "see" with our hearts that we may recognize the face of God in the guise of Lazarus and respond with a generous heart.

Prayer Requests:
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
... for families who are in need of healing.
... for world peace and reconciliation.
... for special intentions
     * Claudio Javellana
     * Alyce Gail Arejola and co-examinees (for clarity of mind, enlightenment and wisdom in the preparations and taking of subspecialty exams)

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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