Daily Readings - Thu Mar 20 2025
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 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.