Dear
Friends,
Today in our
Gospel, we meet Dives and Lazarus, characters in Jesus’
parable which, on the surface is about the wealthy and the poor co-existing in
the world. But the rich man, Dives, is not accused of specific injustices, but
only of self-interest, self-indulgence and…indifference to Lazarus. In fact
Dives does not even see Lazarus, so absorbed is he in his own world.
Dives is
like the complacent people whom Amos chides in the first reading. They were so
taken up in their own pleasure and success that they were not sickened by the
moral collapse of their country.
What does it
take to overcome indifference to the stranger?
Work, concentration and commitment are essentially needed to become more deeply
human like Christ, who never neglects anyone who passed his way.
Praying for
a change of heart is the
indispensable way to
begin setting aside indifference and becoming conscious of
the stranger, anyone whom we typically pass by. Here’s a prayer that moves us
in that direction.
Tender God,
In
the presence of people whom You know and love,
Teach
me to be a good listener
To hear what
people unconnected to us are really
saying,
And not ignore
them with indifference.
Attentive God,
In
the presence of people whom You know and love,
Help
me to speak words that build the
other person up.
Words of comfort, encouragement and hope.
God who sees beyond our own
limited sight,
In
the presence of the people You know and love,
Move me to see beyond what I want to see.
Let me look past
no one whom You have put before me.
Compassionate God,
In
the presence of the people You know and
love,
Let my voice be an faithful echo of Your
own,
My hand to reach
out to heal as Yours does.
Let me not walk
past those whom You love,
For You love
everyone who comes my way.
~ Sister Joan Sobala
