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.
