Jeremiah 17:5-10 / Luke 16:19-31
In the spectrum of the social economic status, there are those who are very very rich.
And there are those who are very very poor.
In between is the majority who are neither that rich nor that poor.
But whether rich or poor, the important thing is how does one live life?
If one becomes rich by ill-gotten gains, then it will be of no lasting value, and even lead to ruin.
If a poor person tries to make an honest living, he may not make much money but he will be respected.
That is the teaching from the Lord in the 1st reading as He says:
“A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of the flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord.”
But, “a blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope.”
In the gospel parable, the rich man was in eternal torment because he only wanted to enjoy life while on earth, and didn’t bother that poor beggar at the gate.
The poor Lazarus was in eternal comfort not because he was a poor beggar but because he didn’t complain or protest about his miserable state.
One of the spiritual directions of the season of Lent is almsgiving.
Let us share with the poor in whatever we can afford.
And let us also do it in secret, and God who sees all that is done in secret, will bless us.