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Gospel Reflection for Thursday, March 20, 2025
The story in today’s Gospel is simple and well-known. Its main characters are a rich man who has everything and a poor man who has nothing. They both die, and their fates are reversed: the rich man ends up in hell with all its torments, while the poor man is in the bosom of Abraham, happy and at peace. Nowhere does it say that the poor man was a devout follower of the law, obedient and pious. He was simply poor and covered in sores. Nor does it say that the rich man was evil, corrupt, a thief, or a fraud. He was simply rich and enjoyed his wealth.
It seems there’s no passage between hell and heaven (or Abraham’s bosom), but there is visual and verbal communication. That’s where the dialogue comes in. The flames of hell burn, and the rich man wants relief. When he sees that’s impossible, he at least wants his family to be spared. But all he gets is a response: they should listen to Moses and the prophets. And Abraham doesn’t budge from that.
For those of us hearing this story today, it might not make much sense to be told to listen to Moses and the prophets. But perhaps there’s a much more important lesson here. It’s in the here and now of life that we’re called to share what we have. The rich man isn’t said to be in hell because he was evil. He simply didn’t see the reality of the poor man at his gate, who had nothing while he feasted. Sharing in solidarity, in fraternity, in justice, is a basic element of the Kingdom of God that Jesus talks about. It’s about knowing that what we have isn’t just “mine” but ours. It’s understanding that private property isn’t an absolute reality but always limited by the needs of our brothers and sisters. It’s being aware that only with others, in solidarity and sharing, can we live this life we’ve been given to the fullest.
Today, without a doubt, this parable invites us to open our eyes, here and now, to the needs of others and to make them our own. It calls us to make fraternity and solidarity the center of our Christian life.