Thursday, March 12, 2009

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent


Readings for Thursday of the Second Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary:
[3]

Reading 1:
Jeremiah 17:5-10

Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
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.
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Commentary on
Jer 17:5-10

This passage from Jeremiah is part of the wisdom sayings (Sapiential Sayings). The first uses opposition or comparison imagery to demonstrate that the wise person trusts in God while the foolish one trusts in his own strength or the help of others. The psalm below borrowed this imagery to portray the true heart of faithfulness.

The second saying describes the root of evil, the human heart whose secret plotting is transparent to God.

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Responsorial Psalm:
[4] Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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Commentary on
Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

This wisdom psalm follows the same theme as that expressed in Jeremiah (above). The focus is to look to God for guidance and not to trust only in the counsel of men.

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Gospel:
Luke 16:19-31

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
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.'"
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Commentary on
Lk 16:19-31

The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man (some ancient texts name him "Nineveh") is found only in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus addresses this story to the Pharisees who were known to be fond of money. In this context we need to understand that all Jewish land owners were considered to be tenants of Yahweh, the landowner, and owed a tax to God’s representatives, the poor.

The rich man’s great sin was ignoring the suffering of Lazarus and when they both had passed from this life to the next, the rich man suffering torment begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers. The “punch line” that follows must have been especially harsh for the Pharisaic audience - 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'" This last statement, of course, is also alluding to his own rejection by the scribes and Pharisees even after his own resurrection.

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Reflection:

Scripture today has a hook at the end. In the reading from Jeremiah and the Psalm we are reminded that, if what we do does not come from the Lord, it will be for naught. It is a strong injunction against pride and a reminder that all that we can accomplish that is good comes, not from our own efforts, but from God. It is he who gives us the strength and will of purpose to accomplish the good work he puts in front of us.

That is not to say it is preordained. No, as we see in the parable of Lazarus in the Gospel, we all have choices. God made us in his own image and likeness. Part of that gift is the ability to choose right from wrong. In his life, the rich man in the story of Lazarus chose to ignore the beggar at his door. He chose the best for himself during his life on earth, even though it would not have cost him dearly to help Lazarus. And finally, when it was too late, the rich man found the truth and was reminded forcibly by Abraham that kindness and help for those who are poor is part of the Law of Moses, even before it was strengthened by Chris’s specific injunction to love one another.

Then we come to the hook at the end of the story. The last line says; ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” Do you think that Jesus could possibly been throwing us a line, across two millennium, to let us know that we too have been given the law and the prophets and a Savior, risen from the dead. Is it possible that the story of Lazarus could have been meant as a reminder to us about what our choices can mean for our eternal life?

During this Lenten season the story of Lazarus reminds us to look at the beggars outside our own gates. Even, no especially, in these difficult times we are called to be grateful to God, without whose constant help we would have nothing. He calls us to demonstrate our gratitude to him with prayer, yes, but also almsgiving. Today we pray for all those who suffer. May we find a way to bring some peace into their world and in doing so become agents of the first born from the dead, or Lord Jesus Christ.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “Dives and Lazarus” (detail) by Bonifacio Veronese, 1540
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.

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