First Reading (Jeremiah 17,5-10)
Reading of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah.
This says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes his strength consist in human flesh, while his heart turns away from the Lord; like the thistles in the desert, he does not see the flowering coming, he prefers to vegetate in the dryness of the desert, in a brackish and uninhabited region. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord; he is like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots in search of moisture, therefore he does not fear the arrival of heat: his foliage remains green, does not suffer in times of drought and never ceases to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful in everything, and this is incurable;
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Luke 16,19-31)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man, who dressed in fine and elegant clothes and had splendid feasts every day. A poor man, named Lazarus, full of wounds, was on the ground at the rich man’s door. He wanted to satisfy his hunger with the leftovers that fell from the rich man’s table. And besides, the dogs came to lick his wounds. When the poor man died, the angels took him to Abraham. The rich man also died and went In the region of the dead, in the midst of torment, the rich man raised his eyes and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. Then he cried out: ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to wet the tip of his finger to cool my tongue, because I suffer greatly in these flames.’ finds comfort here and you are tormented. And besides, there is a great gulf between us: no matter how much anyone wanted, they could not pass from here to you, nor could those from there cross to us.’ The rich man insisted: ‘Father, I beg you, send Lazarus to my father’s house, because I have five brothers. Tell them to be warned, so that they too do not come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied: ‘They have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them!’ The rich man insisted: ‘No, Father Abraham, but if one of the dead comes to them, they will certainly be converted’. But Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses or the Prophets, they will not believe, even if someone rises from the dead.'”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Refletindo a Palavra de Deus
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what defines true happiness? Many of us, throughout our lives, seek happiness in different places and things: a bigger house, a better car, more status, or even more recognition from others. And we are often disappointed to realize that these things do not bring us the deep peace we seek. Today’s reading leads us to reflect on where we are placing our trust and where we seek true satisfaction, which can only come from God.
In the First Reading, the prophet Jeremiah tells us: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when good comes. He will live in the droughts of the desert, in salty land, where no one can live.” What a powerful and desolate image, isn’t it? Jeremiah tells us of someone who has placed his trust in material and human things, someone who seeks to rely only on the strengths and riches of this world. The prophet warns us that trust in all of this is fragile, like a dry bush in the desert, lifeless, without a future.
It’s as if they were looking for an oasis, but were always faced with sand and the scorching sun. No matter how hard they try, they will never find the true water of life. What Jeremiah reveals to us is a harsh reality: trust in material things or the empty promises of the world will never fill the deep emptiness of the human heart. These things may even bring momentary pleasure, but they are like an illusory oasis, which disappears as soon as we approach.
The good news is that there is another way to live, a life rooted in God. Jeremiah continues: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord. He will be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads its roots towards the stream, and does not worry when the heat comes, for its leaves are always green. In years of drought it does not go away and never stops bearing fruit.” Here, Jeremiah offers us a picture of deep trust in God: the tree that has its roots in the living waters of God, nourished by His grace, always blossoming and bearing fruit, no matter the difficulties or difficult times.
Just like this tree that remains firm and healthy, we too must place our trust in God. He is the source that sustains us, He is the stream of living waters that, even in times of drought or difficulties, gives us strength to continue. When our trust is in God, even when difficulties arise, our hearts remain firm and serene, because we know that He will never abandon us.
Now, moving on to today’s Gospel, we have Jesus’ famous parable about the rich man and Lazarus, which invites us to reflect on where we place our trust and how we use what we have to benefit others. Jesus tells us about a rich man, who wore fine clothes and lived in splendor, while a poor man, named Lazarus, sat at the rich man’s door, covered in wounds and wanting to feed himself with the crumbs that fell from the table. The story continues, and both die: the rich man is sent to eternal suffering, while Lazarus is taken to Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort and peace.
What can we learn from this story? Firstly, it is important to note that the rich are not condemned for being rich, but for their lack of compassion and generosity. He lived his life selfishly, ignoring the needs of others, particularly Lazarus, who was at his door. The issue here is not wealth itself, but the attitude of the heart towards wealth and others.
That rich man was confident in his riches and social status, but he failed to realize his need for God and the responsibility he had to use his blessings for the good of others. The story of Lazarus, on the other hand, teaches us about human dignity, even in poverty. Lazarus, even suffering, was close to God. When he dies, he is taken to paradise, where he finds consolation, while the rich man, who lived in excess, is consecrated to eternal suffering.
This parable challenges us to look at our own lives and our priorities. How many times do we forget our brother who suffers, goes hungry or is abandoned? How often are we so immersed in our personal comfort that we fail to see the needs around us? Jesus calls us to have a generous and attentive heart for others, to not focus only on our own desires and to use the resources He gives us to serve those who need it most.
Imagine for a moment the life of Lazarus. He had no material possessions, no comfort, no prestige. His life was marked by suffering, loneliness and abandonment. But despite this, he had something that the rich man didn’t have: he was close to God. Even in his miserable conditions, Lazarus drew closer to God and, in the end, was rewarded with an eternity of peace and comfort. It reminds us that ultimately true wealth is not in material possessions, but in closeness to God and in the love and mercy we offer to others.
Today, as we reflect on these readings, we are called to examine where we are placing our trust. Are we like the rich, relying on our possessions and ignoring the needs of others? Or are we like the tree planted by the stream, which trusts in the Lord and lives a life of generosity and kindness? Jesus calls us to live with our eyes toward heaven, to use the resources He has given us to help others, and to seek the true wealth that only He can offer.
But it’s not just a matter of worrying about others. It’s also a matter of the heart. If we put our trust in God, He will guide us to true freedom. The rich man was trapped in his reliance on riches, but true freedom comes when we place our lives in God’s hands, trusting Him to meet all our needs and direct us to live in a way that brings glory to Him.
My brothers and sisters, how can we apply this message in our daily lives? First, we must begin with an examination of conscience. Ask yourself: where is my confidence? In my possessions, in my career, in my relationships? Or in God, who is the source of all life? If we are trusting the things of this world more than God, perhaps it is time to adjust our priorities and place our faith in His providence.
Furthermore, we must look for ways to be more generous, to look around us and understand the needs of those on our doorstep. How can we be more compassionate? How can we serve others with more love and selflessness?
Finally, let us remember that true wealth is not in what we accumulate, but in how much we give. We gave not only our possessions, but also our time, our attention and, above all, our hearts. When we live like this, with trust in God and a generous heart, we are like the tree that always bears fruit, even in times of drought.
May the Lord grant us the grace to live like a tree planted by the waters, confident in His providence and generous in our daily lives. May we, like Lazarus, be worthy of God’s eternal comfort by living a life that reflects His love. Amen.
