I was down
in NYC last week for a foot treatment – decided to go to San Gennaro Feast –
say a prayer at MPB and the Old Cathedral and get a zeppole!
Take 6 Train
– get off at Canal – we are reminded – watch the Gap - and there he is yelling –
I’m hungry – what do you do??? There is a Gap!
Experiences
like that always make me think of today’s parable – found only in Gospel
According to Luke.
Rich Man –
where did he get his wealth? – inherited? – worked hard? – went to night school?
– Invested wisely? – stole it? Was dishonest?
Did he use people? Did not pay a
decent wage? Was a slum lord? Does not say.
He received
what was good – notice - did not say that God had blessed him – what, that God
did not bless the poor?
Now - How
did Lazarus get so poor? – was he born into poverty? – Injured? – Physical problems?
– mental problems? - Nothing is said.
Once someone
gave me money at the door after Mass – Father, please give this to the deserving
poor. Put me in a terrible position –
you mean I must judge who is deserving? How can I judge that?
Lazarus just
another one of the many poor people – unnoticed - Harry Potter had invisibility cloak – Lazarus
did not need one – he was unseen. Rich man no longer notices.
Interesting –
only parable of Jesus where the person is named – Lazarus “one who God has
helped.” No one else has noticed but God
has noticed!
Now comes
the next life – there is a next life!
Lazarus is doing
well – angels carry him away - rich man is not – he is dead and buried.
One thing
hasn’t changed – rich man still wants to treat a poor man as servant – tell Lazarus
to fetch me water!
No – there
is a Gap?! Then go and tell my brother – us!
This parable
is like an alarm clock – It make us think!
Riches and
comfort are not proof of God’s love – and - having a lot does not show that I
am in God’s good grace.
But it reminds
us – there is still time – take notice & act!
Any parish
must do 3 things: worship God --proclaim
the Good news – and serve the poor.
St. Vincent
de Paul feeds over 150 families – Food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas &
Easter – Christmas Giving Tree – School Veg Garden- Midnight Runs - Men’s Group Bunk Beds – Ministry of Care –
phone calls, visits – voice for the unborn - Many other ways
The alarm
bell is going off - Watch the Gap!!!
