“Keeping the Word” by Beth DeCristofaro
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test
the heart, to reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of
his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:10)
Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen
to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ (Luke 16:31)
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’ (Luke 16:31)
Piety
Help me, Lord God, to share the good gifts
around me which are sent from Heaven above.
I thank you, Lord, oh, thank you Lord for all your love.[i]
Study
When I was a child this story of Lazarus and
the rich man made me very unhappy. How
cruel could someone actually be? How
could a person let a hurt man starve right outside her door? It took me, it
takes many of us, years to learn how subtle and cruel lack of compassion can
be. We pursue self-protection. We seek
to avoid scandal. We hold the sufferer
responsible. We secure against the
foreigner and denounce the unbeliever.
As the child who declared that “I would give
that man some food, Mom!” I missed the important message at the end of the
story when Jesus holds up a mirror to his audience. What do I see in Jesus’ mirror? Am I persuaded or not that all good things in
life are full of grace when shared?
Jesus’ Resurrection is both a historic event and an ever-present,
universal truth. Not only back from the dead but triumphant over death, Jesus
has already rewarded me, us, without requiring that we merit it first.
The prayer before today’s Gospel at Mass reminds
us: Blessed are they who have kept
the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.
Action
During our Lenten journey are we pausing to listen to the
Word? Is our Lenten practice becoming
rote? Do we look for Lazarus at our gate
and do we share?
[i]
From Godspell “All Good Gifts” John-Michael Tebelak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33U8saXFV4E
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