The Gospel Reading of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) should lead us to reflect and act on the indifference that exists in our communities and in our world and which leads to immense suffering of those who should have a place at the table of life.
Pope Francis urges us to overcome indifference and encounter the face of the living God in each person: “The culture of well-being, that makes us think of ourselves, that makes us insensitive to the cries of others, that makes us live in soap bubbles, that are beautiful but are nothing, are illusions of futility, of the transient, that brings indifference to others, that brings even the globalization of indifference … we have lost the sense of fraternal responsibility … we ask forgiveness for those who are pleased with themselves, who are closed in on their own well-being in a way that leads to the anaesthesia of the heart.”
To promote right relationships, we must pay heed to the message in his encyclical, Laudato Si’ (LS), in which he states that there is no room for selfishness or indifference. We cannot care for nature “if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings” (LS 91). Let us listen to “the cry of the poor” (LS 49).
In today’s first reading, Amos warns: “Woe to the complacent”, and the responsorial psalm reminds us: “Blessed he who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry … The Lord loves the just.” And in the second reading, Timothy urges us to: “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.”
To do this we must have a change of heart. Let the Holy Spirit flow freely through us so that we can see with the eyes of faith. Let us develop our spirituality so that we will develop right relationships with God, our neighbour, ourselves and our environment and build the common good. It was the rich man’s self-indulgence and self-centredness that caused him to ignore the plight of poor Lazarus.
Our Church does not teach that people should not work and become wealthy, but it does say that we must live by certain values such as love and compassion which should lead us to share what we have with others and seek to empower them.
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In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the rich man in the parable “embodies the unjust spending of wealth by those who use it for unbridled and egotistical luxury, thinking only of satisfying themselves, without taking care of the beggar at their door. The poor man, on the other hand, represents the person that only God cares for … He who is forgotten by all is not forgotten by God; he who is worth nothing in the eyes of men, is precious in the eyes of the Lord. The story shows how earthly injustice is overturned by divine justice … it is during this life that one must repent; doing so afterward is useless.”
On September 25, 2015, 193 countries, including T&T, adopted a set of Sustainable Development goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.
Our poverty levels in T&T are too high. Read Permanent Secretary Bailey-Sobers’ statement at the UNDP High Level Poverty Consultation at the Hyatt Regency, T&T, on March 15, 2016.
Inter alia, she said T&T “is ranked as a high middle-income country. However, poverty and inequality remain pervasive challenges, which are further exacerbated by the current downturn in the economy. While as a country we have pursued various approaches to poverty reduction since the World Summit on Social Development in 1995, there is need for a clearly articulated national strategy and enhancement in our attitudes and methodologies … there has been very little co-ordination and monitoring not to mention evaluation of these (poverty reduction) programmes and strategies….
“This has to change. We at the highest levels of government have to change our rhythm to look inwardly and collectively to direct and manage this necessary change, as a pathway to sustainable national development … poverty rates have increased by approximately 50% since 2005, from 16.7% to 24.5% (Analysis of 2014 Standard of Living Conditions data). This is cause for concern…”.
Good governance requires that we strive to leave no one behind. If we are to be visible, credible witnesses to the Gospel, we must join forces with our Government and address the factors that constrain progress in integral human development in this land/world of plenty. This involves “building a human community where men and women can live truly human lives … where the needy Lazarus can sit down with the rich man at the same banquet table” (Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, 47).
