Dear friends, today the liturgy offers us profound readings from the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 17, and the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16. There...
Dear friends, today the liturgy offers us profound readings from the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 17, and the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16. There is a powerful parallel between Jeremiah’s prophecy and Christ’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Jeremiah contrasts the person who trusts in human beings with the person who trusts in the Lord. He says the one who relies on the flesh is like a barren bush in the desert, while the one who hopes in God is like a flourishing tree planted beside the waters. Jesus brings this imagery to life. The rich man trusted in his purple garments, fine linen, and daily feasts—his human wealth—yet his soul was a barren wasteland. Lazarus had nothing but God, and he was ultimately carried to the bosom of Abraham. The core message today forces us to evaluate where we place our ultimate security. We can understand this through three words: Reliance, Roots, and Reversal.
We start with Reliance. The rich man was not condemned simply for having money; he was condemned because his reliance on his wealth blinded him to the suffering at his very doorstep. He built a wall of comfort around himself. When we rely entirely on our own strength, our bank accounts, or our strategic plans, we eventually dry up spiritually.
If we shift our reliance to God, we develop deep Roots. Jeremiah tells us that the tree planted by the stream does not fear the heat; in the year of drought, it still bears fruit. When our roots are sunk deep into daily prayer and the sacraments, we can withstand the inevitable droughts of life—the sicknesses, the financial crises, the betrayals. Our joy remains green because its source is eternal.
Finally, we see the Great Reversal. In the afterlife, the hidden reality of their hearts is exposed. The rich man is in torment, and Lazarus is comforted. The chasm between them in eternity was built by the rich man's indifference during his life. We have the opportunity right now to cross that chasm. Let us not wait for a reversal. Let us rely on God, deepen our roots, and open our doors to the Lazarus waiting outside today. Amen.
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