Daily Catholic Lectio. Thu, 20 March ’25. A drop of water in fire

Daily Catholic Lectio

Thu, 20 March ‘25

Second Week of Lent – Thursday

Jeremiah 17:5-10. Psalm 1. Luke 16:19-31

A drop of water in fire

In today’s Gospel reading, we reflect on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. This parable contains three key themes:

1. Wealth as a hindrance to discipleship: Wealth can become a hindrance to discipleship in two ways: It creates self-sufficiency, making a person feel they do not need God or others; It leads to indifference, preventing one from recognizing the needs of others. The rich man in the parable did nothing wrong to Lazarus. However, he also did nothing good for him. His sin was indifference!

2. A life turned upside down: Life’s events and transitions are unpredictable. No matter how much we plan, we can never fully control what happens. In the parable, the lives of the rich man and Lazarus are reversed. In the first half, the rich man enjoys luxury while Lazarus suffers. In the second half, the rich man is tormented, while Lazarus finds comfort in Abraham’s bosom. Life can take unexpected turns. The poor man, covered in sores and licked by dogs, now rests in divine comfort, while the wealthy man, who once lived in splendour, suffers in torment.

3. Life before and after death: We often perceive death as a dividing line—a separation between this life and the afterlife. However, life is not two separate compartments but a single journey. We can think of life not as two train compartments but as a single bus journey. If we begin to see this life and the afterlife as one continuous journey, we develop a faith-filled perspective. At the same time, if we fail to correct our mistakes in this life, we will not be able to rectify them after death. The choices we make before death determine our state after death.

First Reading: Trusting in God vs. Trusting in Humans

In the first reading, Jeremiah divides humanity into two groups: Those who trust in human strength; Those who trust in God. The kings of Judah placed their faith in themselves, their military forces, and their alliances with powerful nations. But they perished. However, those who placed their trust in God endured.

In the Gospel, the rich man trusted in his wealth, but Lazarus trusted in God. Through the parable, we learn that there are things wealth cannot buy.

As Jeremiah laments: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). A deceitful heart can only be healed by our actions.

Indifference: The greatest disease today

One of the greatest diseases affecting our world today is indifference. We have conditioned our eyes to see only what benefits us. It is important that we take a moment to turn and see those next to us.

Let us break free from indifference. Let us recognize the needs of others. Let us transform our hearts through our actions.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Messenger of Mercy