2ND THURSDAY HOMILY OF LENT — YEAR A
2ND THURSDAY HOMILY OF LENT — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: THE ANONYMOUS RICH MAN!
BY: Fr. Benedict AGBO
Jeremiah 17:5-10, Ps. 1:1-4,6, Luke 16:19-31
I find the parable of the anonymous rich man of today’s gospel one of the richest and most existential teachings of Christ. Two major characters were portrayed in the story; A rich man (name not mentioned) who trusted so much in his riches, died and found himself in Hades and a poor man, Lazarus (name remembered forever) who trusted in the Lord, died and was carried by the Angels to Abraham’s bosom. The biblical name ‘Lazarus’ means ‘God is my help’. Imagine Lazarus to be a retired righteous civil servant or teacher who was denied his pension and gratuity for refusing to play the corrupt pranks at the Local Government Subtreasury. He sold all he had perhaps to pay his children’s school fees and was left with a motorcycle with which he was riding okada to be able to feed his family. His health was failing him gradually as his motorcycle also got older and more troublesome to maintain. Now imagine he had this big man as Chairman of his local government area who he taught as his headmaster in primary school. But this politician has become so insensitive that whenever this retired headmaster comes with his problems, he turns him out at the gate. The major problem of this headmaster is the policemen and the ‘Local Government Agboros’ who disturb him everyday from his legitimate business. Finally this man dies of stroke and goes to heaven. The Local Government Chairman also dies of diabetes and goes to hell. Imagine also how the burial ceremony of the two men would be? The latter full of bishops, priests and State dignitaries; the former perhaps buried by a catechist or if he is owing in his zone, left at the mercy of whoever.
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Power and wealth are good servants but dangerous masters. When a little silver comes between you and the world, you begin to see only yourself. Take note that the rich man was condemned not because of his wealth but because his wealth brought him ‘poverty’ and insensitivity. According to Helder Camara, ‘Poverty makes a person subhuman while wealth makes one inhuman’. I said that his wealth brought him poverty because any rich man who cannot help the poor is actually suffering from a worse poverty – lack of contentment and fear of poverty. The philosopher Seneca said that ‘Contentment is natural richness while luxury is artificial poverty’. When wealth is accompanied by faith /trust in God, it comes with compassion for the poor which leads to sharing which is inclusive prosperity – the reward is heaven. But when poverty is accompanied by selfishness and faithlessness, it comes with insensitivity for the poor which leads to stinginess which is exclusive prosperity – the reward is hell fire. As H Fielding puts it, ‘Riches without charity are of no worth. They are a blessing only to him who makes them a blessing for others’.
This wonderful parable reminds us that there may be a reversal of fortunes on the last day – whereby in the end many rich men may become beggars of grace. Many will become anonymous and will be remembered for nothing. Their greatest plight will be the tragedy of unanswered prayers. Like the anonymous rich man of today’s gospel asked for 2 favours which were denied him;
1) Personal salvation and compassion from Lazarus. It was denied him because he was not merciful himself, Matt 5: 7, Lk 6: 36 – 38 and
2) Salvation of his siblings still on earth. But he never cared before about the support of evangelization.
Is it not the priests and pastors he neglected before who he now depends on to preach the gospel of salvation to them? Note: That after death, there will be no mercy for the wicked. Those who will benefit from the patrimony of prayers for the faithful departed are those who were merciful themselves while on earth and who invested in the evangelical bank for the salvation of imperfect believers, 1Jn 5: 16. May God bless you today!
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