Thursday, 20 March 2014
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| Wild Geese on flight - over Lammermuirs, March 2014Thursday of the Second week of Lent |
Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, But stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 16:19-31.Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. Commentary of the day :
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Discourses on the psalms, Ps 85 [86]; CCL 39, 1178
Was that poor man welcomed by the angels solely on account of his poverty? And the rich man, was he delivered up to torment by fault of his wealth alone? No. Let us clearly understand that it was humility that was honored in the poor man and pride condemned in the rich.
This is the proof, briefly, that it was not his wealth but his pride for which the rich man deserved his punishment. So then, the poor man was carried into the bosom of Abraham; yet Scripture says of Abraham that he had much gold and silver and was rich on earth (Gn 13,2). If every rich man is sent into torment, how is it that Abraham could precede the poor man so as to welcome him into his bosom? It was because, in the midst of his wealth, Abraham was poor, humble, respectful and obedient to all God's commands. He held his riches in so little esteem that, when God asked it of him, he consented to offer in sacrifice the son to whom these riches were destined (Gn 22,4).
Learn to be poor and needy, then, whether you possess something in this world or whether you don't possess anything. Because we find beggars full of pride and rich people who confess their sins. “God resists the proud” whether they are covered with silk or with rags, but “he gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4,6) whether or not they have possessions in this world. God looks at what is within; it is there he assesses, there he examines.
This is the proof, briefly, that it was not his wealth but his pride for which the rich man deserved his punishment. So then, the poor man was carried into the bosom of Abraham; yet Scripture says of Abraham that he had much gold and silver and was rich on earth (Gn 13,2). If every rich man is sent into torment, how is it that Abraham could precede the poor man so as to welcome him into his bosom? It was because, in the midst of his wealth, Abraham was poor, humble, respectful and obedient to all God's commands. He held his riches in so little esteem that, when God asked it of him, he consented to offer in sacrifice the son to whom these riches were destined (Gn 22,4).
Learn to be poor and needy, then, whether you possess something in this world or whether you don't possess anything. Because we find beggars full of pride and rich people who confess their sins. “God resists the proud” whether they are covered with silk or with rags, but “he gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4,6) whether or not they have possessions in this world. God looks at what is within; it is there he assesses, there he examines.
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