Daily Readings - Thu Mar 20 2025
Jeremiah
5Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.6He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.7"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.8He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?10"I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."
Luke
19"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.20And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.24And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'25But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'27And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house--28for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'29But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'30And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'31He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between faith, trust, and how we live out our lives in light of God’s will. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a stark warning: those who trust in human strength and turn away from the Lord are like a barren tree in the desert, unable to bear fruit. Conversely, those who place their trust in God are like a tree planted by water, flourishing even in times of drought. Jeremiah emphasizes that the heart is complex and only God can truly understand it, rewarding each person according to their actions and intentions.
In the Gospel, Luke presents us with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man, consumed by his wealth and luxury, fails to notice Lazarus, the poor beggar at his gate. While Lazarus suffers on earth, he is comforted in the afterlife, while the rich man, who ignored the needs of others, finds himself in torment. This parable is not just a warning about wealth but a call to recognize the dignity of every person and to live with compassion and justice. Abraham’s response to the rich man’s plea makes it clear: our actions in this life have eternal consequences, and ignoring the suffering of others can lead to spiritual poverty.
These readings remind us that true faith is not just about belief but about how we live. To trust in God means to trust in His plan and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The rich man’s sin was not his wealth but his indifference to Lazarus’s suffering. Similarly, we are called to examine our own lives: do we see Christ in those around us, especially in those who are marginalized or forgotten? Let us strive to be like the tree planted by water, rooted in God’s love, and bear fruit by living with compassion, justice, and mercy. May we not be fooled by the comforts of this world but instead fix our eyes on the eternal life that God promises to those who trust in Him.