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The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes
Saint John Chrysostom as saying, “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods
is to steal from them and deprive them of life.
The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs” (2446). In the First Reading and the Gospel this
week, we hear of the message from Amos and Jesus reminding us of our treatment
to the poor. But who are the poor?
I would
think that the majority of people would consider “the poor” to be those whose
homes are run-down, those who have little money of possessions. Some may include the homeless among this
group, as well. What we must be aware of
is that there is more than one category of “poor”, and Jesus and Amos are not
simply teaching us about those that we may consider “poor” in the financial
sense. We must be aware of those who
are poor in other ways as well: spiritually, physically, emotionally, etc. It is to these poor, as well, that we must
extend a hand of support.
The
Church’s Catechism reminds us in
paragraph 2447 of the importance of the works
of mercy. These actions, both
spiritual and corporal, allow us to aid those in need so as to offer the poor –
in all senses of the word – an opportunity to build themselves up. This allows the giver to recognize the
dignity of each individual as being created in the image of God, Himself – that
is, the image of Divine Love. Our
readings today challenge us to not only consider how we assist the poor, but,
also, how we do not assist them.
Saint John
Chrysostom offers us the motivation we need this day to recognize that the gifts
we are given by God are not ours to hoard.
Our good and gracious God gives us these gifts so that they may be
shared, and shared with those who need them the most. We, however, must be willing to give what we
have so that the poor “may have life and have it more abundantly” (John
10:10). That is why Jesus came to earth,
after all: that all of humanity may share in gift of Divine Life given to us by
God to its fullest extent.
Are you the rich man or are you
Lazarus? Are you one of the complacents,
who “shall be the first to go into exile”?
Anyone who takes their call to follow Christ seriously should be willing
to extend a hand of mercy and compassion to those who need assistance. At any point in our lives we can find
ourselves as either the rich man or as Lazarus.
In the end, it is up to us to recognize that, in those times when we recognize
that we are the rich man, it is our Christian duty to help those who may be the
Lazarus among us through our spiritual and corporal works of mercy. In the end, it is the fulfillment of our
baptismal call to be Christ to all.
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Enjoy the journey . . .
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