Daily Readings - Thu Feb 29 2024
Jeremiah
5This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.6He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.7"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.8He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?10"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Luke
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'30"'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of trust and the consequences of our choices in life. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a stark contrast between those who trust in human strength and those who place their trust in God. The prophet describes the former as a withered tree in the desert, unable to bear fruit, while the latter is a tree planted by the waters, flourishing even in times of drought. This imagery underscores the idea that true strength and security come not from human efforts or wealth, but from a deep reliance on God. Jeremiah also reminds us that the human heart is complex and prone to sin, but God, who sees and tests the heart, will judge each person according to their ways.
The Gospel parable from Luke further elaborates on this theme. The rich man, who lived a life of luxury while ignoring the suffering of Lazarus at his gate, finds himself in torment after death. Lazarus, the poor and neglected man, is instead comforted in the bosom of Abraham. This parable is not merely a warning about wealth but a call to recognize the moral responsibility that comes with it. The rich man’s sin was not his wealth itself, but his failure to see Lazarus as a brother worthy of dignity and compassion. When he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, Abraham’s response highlights the importance of heeding the Word of God and the moral law written on the human heart. If we fail to listen to God’s voice in Scripture and in the needs of others, even the most dramatic interventions will not lead to repentance.
These readings challenge us to examine where we place our trust and how we treat those around us. Do we trust in material security, or do we rely on God’s providence? Do we see the poor and the marginalized as reflections of Christ, or do we ignore their suffering? The moral lesson is clear: our relationship with God is revealed in our relationship with others. If we want to bear fruit in our lives, we must root ourselves in God’s love and allow that love to flow outward in acts of mercy and justice. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God above all else and to see Christ in the faces of those most in need.