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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

February 28, 2013



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Thursday of the Second Week of Lent 
Lectionary: 233

Reading 1JER 17:5-10

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.
Frequently, people misunderstand this verse.  They claim that God is here condemning a man who trusts any man whatsoever.  But that isn't true.  This is an admonition against trusting men over God.  Putting men before God is a sin.

However, there is nothing wrong with trusting men who teach us about God.  Scripture says:

Hebrews 13:7
King James Version (KJV)
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.


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.

The person who turns away from God to seek after men is dead but doesn't yet know it.  He is like a bush in the waterless desert, it will dry out because no rain will ever fall upon it.  

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:
Happy is the man who has faith in God, who waits on the Lord's goodness.  He is like a tree beside a river whose roots reach out to the water.

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.
When the heat comes, it remains green because it is  near the cool stream.  When there is no rain, water still comes down to it and it 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.
No one understands the human heart but God.  God reads the mind and tries the heart in order to recompense everyone according to their works. 

Responsorial PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Happy are they who wait on God and follow the ways of the righteous.  Happy are they who avoid the ways of evildoers.  Happy they who love the law of God and think about it everyday.

He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
The righteous man who loves God is like a tree that is planted near a river.  It will always bear fruit and its leaves will never wither.

Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
But evildoers and sinners will be blown away like dry corn sheaves.  God protects the righteous and the wicked He punishes. 

GospelLK 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.
 Jesus said to the Pharisees, "There was a rich man who dressed in fine clothes and ate the best food everyday."

And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
Outside his door, a poor man lay who would have loved to eat the left overs from the rich man's table.  The poor man was so ill, that he could not fight off the dogs who licked upon his sores.

When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
They both died and the poor man's soul was carried by the angels to the "bosom of Abraham.  The bosom of Abraham is also called the "Limbo of the Fathers" where the Patriarchs waited to be admitted into heaven.

The rich man, however, his soul went to the netherworld, which is either hell or purgatory.  And being in torment there, he raises his eyes to heaven and sees Abraham and Lazarus there.

And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
And so, Dies, the rich man, prays to the Saint, Father Abraham for his intercession.  He says, "Father, please send Lazarus down here to help me and cool me off."

Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime  while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
But Father Abraham would have none of it.  He explains why.  "You had a lifetime to help Lazarus.  But you would not lift a finger to do so.  Now, Lazarus is resting and it is your turn to suffer.  However, even if I wanted to help you, I can't.  Because no one can cross over from here to there."

He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’

So, Dies said, "Please then, send him to my brothers.  They don't know about this place of suffering and if they don't change their ways, they will soon join me."

But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
Father Abraham said, "They are Jews and they have the teachings of Moses and the Prophets.  Let them listen to them.

He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

But Dies said, "If someone comes back from the grave to warn them, they will turn away from their sins."
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’“

If they don't listen to Moses and the Prophets, they won't listen even if someone comes back from the dead.

This is a beautiful story for many reasons.
1.  Lazarus actually died and came back from the dead.  But the Jews did not believe and only schemed to kill him in order to keep his resurrection from convincing others of the power of Jesus Christ.
John 12:8-10
King James Version (KJV)
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 

2.  Then, Jesus was put to death and He came back.  And again, the Jews refused to believe.

So, it shows that Father Abraham was right.  The Jews refused to convert no matter who came back from the dead.

3.  Another reason I like it is because it is a great proof of the doctrine of the communion of Saints.  It shows Dies, the rich man, praying to Father Abraham.  It depicts the authority of Abraham as without asking anyone what he could or could not do, he told Dies that he would not send Lazarus over to him.

4.  It is also proof of the doctrine of Purgatory as Dies was essentially praying for the welfare of his brothers.  He was interceding for them.  Although in his case, his brothers were too wicked to be helped.  The doctrine is still confirmed.  

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