Today we read about the rich man who dressed in fine clothes, and dined well each day. In contrast we hear how poor Lazarus was in a pitiful state at the man’s gate, covered in sores and starving with hunger. The rich man does nothing to ease Lazarus plight. When he dies we are told that Lazarus was carried away immediately to his eternal reward where all of the hardship that he endured in life is now gone.  The rich man also died but unlike Lazarus he ends up in Hades where he suffers great torment. The man realises that he has been a fool for not taking care of others and in a vision he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers that they need to change their ways before it is too late. Abraham is quick to point out that they should listen to the teaching of Moses and the prophets if they want to be saved. But he hints that they would probably not be convinced ‘even if someone should rise from the dead’.

What had happened the rich man was that his comfortable lifestyle prevented him from seeing his need for God in his life and now he realises that he has been foolish.

In our world today there is a huge disparity between the rich and the poor. So much of the wealth is owned by a few. There are those who have done well in business and life who share their good fortune with those less well-off but they tend to be a minority. Today’s gospel is a reminder of how we should store up things in this world for the next, instead of just storing up things so we have a comfortable lifestyle in the present.

Fr. Gerry

The rich man we hear of in today’s Gospel had gone off to enjoy life and left his property in the capable hands of one of his stewards. Everything was well for some time but then the steward got lazy and wasted a lot of his time enjoying life too. To facilitate this, he took advantage of his position and began to appropriate some of the master’s money coming in from the tenants for his own personal use.

Eventually the rich man returns home, asks him to give an account of his stewardship and discovers what’s been going on. He immediately sets about dismissing the steward. Realising what was about to happen to him and declaring that he was no good for digging or begging he decides to ingratiate himself with the master’s debtors by writing down the value of the debt they owed to the Master. They were all vulnerable and so they took the opportunity to pay back considerably less than they owed even though they knew the steward had no authority and was being dishonest with the master’s money.

It seems strange that Jesus would use an example of dishonesty to illustrate his message, yet he says we could learn something from the dishonest steward. The steward in today’s story used all his resources to secure his future.  As children of light we are challenged to have that same dedication and use all our blessings, our time, talents and health – wisely and justly so that we can all give a good account of our stewardship when we are asked by God.

Fr. Gerry

When a family member or friend hurts us by something they may say or do we can find it difficult to forgive them.  When someone hurts us constantly we can eventually give up and reject any further requests for forgiveness. Thankfully that is not how God works in our lives. His mercy and compassion are unending. No matter how often we seek his forgiveness he is ready to forgive and welcomes us with open arms. However, we should never take it for granted. If we have experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness in our lives, then we are duty bound to pass on or share that mercy and compassion we those who have hurt us. Each time we pray the Our Father we ask the Lord to ‘forgive us our trespasses’, our wrongs, and we promise to also forgive those who have ‘trespassed’ or done wrong against us. So we publicly declare our need to be forgiven and to forgive.

In today’s gospel Jesus gives three examples of things that are lost, the sheep, the coin, the son and he tells of the joy of all those who find what they are looking for. Their joy, he tells those listening, is tiny by comparison to the Joy that God has when we repent and turn back towards him.

We pray that we may never be afraid to turn to the Lord and seek his forgiveness at all times.

Fr. Gerry