Father Rick’s Two Minute Homily for Thursday 2nd Week in Lent – 03-17-2022

“OUR” IS PLURAL IN “OUR DAILY BREAD.”

Reading today’s gospel about Lazarus and the rich man made me think of the prayer, the Our Father. The word “Our” is not singular but plural. God is the Father of all people. “Give us this day “Our” daily bread.

Before going to bed, I can appreciate how generous the Father is when I go over the day and think of all the blessings I have received. It is incredible to think of all the little things people do for you morning, noon, and night. It is good to thank God for them and ask Him to bless them for their kindness.

We pray in the confiteor at the beginning of Mass, “I confess to Almighty God that I have greatly sinned…in what I have failed to do.” These people are Lazarus. In His Divine Providence, God put them at my doorstep, and I walked over them to get on with my business. I ask forgiveness for not seeing them and responding to their needs. It is good to see them in my examination, so I can them tomorrow without fail.

I heard Jean Vanier, in a retreat before ordination, say, “Lazarus asked father Abraham from the flames, “How did I end up here? How is Lazarus is up there with you?” Jean Vanier paraphrased, “Well, Lazarus lived a life of poverty. No one gave him a job because of his disability. But he lived a good life. So, therefore, he came here, and every time you walked past him, you became more distant from Lazarus. You went to the appropriate distance you set between him and you.

Starting today, let’s bridge that gap between Lazarus and us.

IGNITE THE FIRE

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
 www.bscchurch.com