It's "Worth Revisiting" Wednesday - Yes Mildred. You Are Both Rich and Poor!

It is time to thank Allison Gingras and Elizabeth Riordan for inviting an ever-expanding group of Catholic bloggers to re-post their favorite articles on It’s "Worth Revisiting” Wednesdays.

Do yourself a favor: Go there now (and every Wednesday) and let these authors bless and challenge you in your Faith journey.

Be sure to visit Allison at  Reconciled To You and Elizabeth at Theology Is A Verb during the rest of the week.  

Here is my contribution this week:

Some Thoughts On Luke's Gospel - Yes Mildred, You Are Both Rich And Poor!

(Originally posted on February 28, 2013)

We need a reality check!

By any objective measure, most of us living in the U.S. are rich – materially rich beyond the experiences of the majority of the rest of the people who inhabit this planet. The median household income in this country, we are told, is just over $50,000.  Yet, we in America never seem to be satisfied with all that we do have and never tire of wanting more. Almost everything has become a “necessity”.  

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Luke's Gospel about the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31) challenges us to be more realistic in our own self assessment. Despite our protestations and real hardships, we who live here in this nation are rich in a material sense.

In another sense, too many of us in this rich country are still very poor – poor in spirit. We do not treasure and appreciate our loving Lord who nourishes us with His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity and Who remains physically here among us, waiting to be visited and consoled and, in return, to love and heal.

So let us ask ourselves some vital questions.

Where are the physical Lazarus’ in our midst – those in need of our material assistance, love, and support? How are we treating them – like the rich man in today’s Gospel, or as our Lord has commanded us to do?

Where are the spiritually needy among us – those who don’t know our Lord or who rarely think of Him and what are we doing to alleviate this form of poverty? How are we treating Jesus – the poorest among us – neglected, abandoned and unloved?

The answers to these questions will dictate where we will spend eternity.