WHICH SIN DID THE RICH MAN COMMITTED?

 Thursday, March 9, 2023

ST FRANCES OF ROME, REL (Opt Commem)

First Reading. Jeremiah 17: 5-10
Psalm. 1: 1-4 and 6 (Psalm 40:5ab)
Gospel.  Luke 16: 19-31

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION

TRUSTING GOD WITH CHARITY IS HEAVEN 

Have you heard where God destroys God? No
But, countless times, we have seen man destroying man.
This simply means that, if God can not destroy itself, then this same God can not destroy man whom He created.

Similarly, the manufacturer of a computer, for instance, will always know the functions of each component that makes up the computer:
So, once the computer is faulty, he will know the faulty components and will replace them with new ones.

Therefore, God who created humans, knows the functions of every human part, and He knows what is good for man; but, man finds it difficult to trust this same God who created him.
On the contrary, man trusts his fellow man who does not know how he was created.
Then how will a man not disappoint man, when the God who created Him is neglected?
Only God can love perfectly, while man can not love like God.

The Lord says in today's first reading “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He 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.

The Lord is warning us to be very careful because the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?

Therefore, if you wish to succeed in life, do not trust in man.
Do you know why we have more failures than successful people in life?
It is because they trusted not in God but in man.
Man disappoints, God does not.

However, those who trust in the Lord are like mount zion that can not be shaken.
The Lord said: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the LORD. He 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.” 

This was the case with Lazarus and the rich man in today's Gospel.
The rich man trusted in His wealth and decides to enjoy it alone without sharing with Lazarus who was wretchedly poor and covered with sores all over his body.

Hmmm, the only offense of the rich man was that he was not charitable to Lazarus.
The sin of NEGLIGENCE.
When both of them died, they both received their reward accordingly because, from the first reading, the Lord said “I the Lord search the mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

So, the rich man received his reward, and there is no repentance in heaven. It was too late for Him, and Lazarus was rewarded with heaven.

God knows the heart and mind of each of us, none of us can deceive Him, but we can only deceive one another.

This Lenten period, let us not Neglect those who need our help.
Let us trust God in our charitable acts.

Peace ✌️ be with you.

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.

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