Daily gospel

Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel Thursday 21 March 2019

Upon returning from Africa I find the story of the rich man and the poor Lazarus very upsetting ! Perhaps all of us here in Europe , independent from how we live aren’t we all rich man , dressed in purple and white linen ? One reads that we here in the Carpathian-basin have a higher standard of living than 95 % of the world’s population , but this does not really mean much until we see it with our own eyes , that there are regions , parts of countries , in towns with inhabitants numbering in several millions where there is no electricity , drinking water , rubbish/ waste collection, even hardly any schools or hospitals …

All this instead of vehement judgement bids me to be silent ,the fact that these people living in poverty , under very basic conditions are happy, joyous , free from all that junk that we here in Europe wear, drag around with us ! With the holy gospel in my hand I am sitting and reflecting ! Not only do I think with respect humility of the Lazarus-s of the XXIst century , but I am also thinking how one could free the nations sumptuously feasting everyday , the nations from the sins of avarice that atrophy body and soul?

Naturally we also have to think about how poor we were in the years 1989-90 , how simple, how much we have collected, gathered since then , but are we happier , calmer ?Back then there were no proper stools , for this reason teaching went on morning and afternoon , nowadays there are a great number of nicely furbished , well equipped schools, but here and there as well the number of children are diminishing , educational centres are being closed ! Before 1990 close to 400 thousand children were born in Romania yearly , today based on the "massaged “ figures of statistics 170-180 thousand children are born !For the prosperity we gave away our children, our homeland  but we even give away  our elders , the safety, cleanliness of our environment, we are sacrificing everything lead by our immeasurable greed!? Unfortunately we don’t have to wait till eternal life for the judgement of greed, unfortunately all those will reap “their reward” here on earth who are incapable to bend down with love to their brothers!

How good it would be to stop , and in peace, love worship God, and love one another as good brothers freely !

With the humility of a lesser brother ,

Father Csaba 

translated by dr k.e.

Photo: An Italian Franciscan Father in Kenya .

The Word of God

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house -- for I have five brothers -- that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Luke 16:19-31