Tag: Uncategorized

St. Jerome offers us an interesting definition of the name “Lazarus.”  He says it means, “one who has been helped.”  The theme of today’s readings is on trusting in God’s providence, strength, and salvation.  Clearly the rich man trusted in his own wealth rather than in the help that comes from God.  Had he trusted in the help that comes from God, he would have understood that he was in a position, providentially, to help Lazarus.  All of the good things that the rich man had were ultimately from God, but he saw them as somehow belonging exclusively to him even when Lazarus was in need.  Ironically, perhaps, it is Lazarus who is actually helped whereas the rich man, in all the “blessings” God had bestowed on him is actually hindered from salvation. read more

Quotes:

“See that we must first cleanse ourselves, and then God cleanses us. He first said, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean,” and then said, “I will make you white.” … The power of repentance is then tremendous as it makes us white as snow and wool, even though sin had stained our souls.”

“Do you wish to have no wrinkle? Stretch yourself on the cross. You see, you do not only need to be washed but also to be stretched, in order to be without stain or wrinkle; because by the washing sins are removed, while by the stretching a desire is created for the future life, which is what Christ was crucified for.” read more

The prayer of the prophet Daniel imploring God’s mercy invites us to question every movement of self-righteousness we experience.  It is one thing to understand that we ourselves are sinners, another thing to feel and exert compassion for our sinning neighbors, and still another to implore God’s mercy and forgiveness on us all together as the body of Christ.  Confessing our sin – as in the sin of the community, the people of God, is the place where humility and compassion come together.  In an age of individualism, we could see repentance as an act where it is every man for himself.  We could understand the “one soul that I need to convert,” as my own in a very self-centered sort of way. read more