Thursday, March 4, 2021

 Thursday of the First Second Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 17;5-10; Luke 16: 19-31)

In 2009 Pope Benedict wrote his only social encyclical.  World markets were reeling from the great economic downturn of the year before.  Benedict chided governments and large financial institutions for their lack of oversight during the speculations of the years prior to the recession.  He wrote that the economy must implement the “principle of gratuitousness” in order to be just.  Gratuitousness recognizes that there are no self-made men or women.  Everyone has received resources to grow and achieve.  Reception of benefits from others implies return of those benefits so that other people in time may prosper as well.  The rich man in Jesus’ parable lacks at least a full sense of gratuitousness.

The rich man tragically ignores the beggar at his door.  His concern about his brothers at the end of the parable cannot make up for this fault.  He should have realized that he had received assistance from other people, not to mention essential gifts from God, to accumulate his wealth.  Jesus is warning the Pharisees, who themselves are said to be “lovers of money,” not to be so blind.  They should practice gratuitousness by having compassion on the poor in their midst.

During Lent we should be actively looking for people to help.  It is a time of mercy.  God is merciful to us when we ask that our sins be forgiven.  We should be merciful to others in turn.  We forgive their offenses against us and show compassion on the needy.