Editorial

Open an Account in Heaven


In St. Luke’s Gospel, chapter 16 verses 19 to 31, Lord Jesus gives us the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. If we want a complete interpretation of this parable, we must meditate on what Jesus says about the last judgement in St. Mathew’s Gospel chapter 25. The judgement on the last day will be based on whether we saw Jesus Christ in Lazar, the disease-ridden man lying helpless at our gate and, out of brotherly love, did some work of mercy. We have to give an account not only of the wrong things we have done but also for the good we omitted to do. In other words, helping the poor and being a support to them is not to be a condescension on our part but, rather, are the rights permitted to the children of God. God has given enough wealth for all the people of this world to live well. But when a few capture the resources meant for all, many are deprived and are obliged to manage with a little. Blatant financial injustices are perpertrated when the strong keep more wealth than they need for themselves. St. Ambrose reminds us: "It is necessary to share our wealth. The secure places wherein to preserve it is the lap of the poor, the house of the widow and the stomach of the hungry." Some time ago I happened to offer Holy Mass in a house of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in Mumbai. After the Mass I went along the beds of the sick to pray for them. Human bodies full of sores and stinking wounds, people on the verge of death, with the sisters washing, cleaning and nursing them.

With the sisters I saw a young college girl and a young man with a post graduate degree. Both came from affluent families. The sister told me: "These youngsters have been coming here regularly for the past one year and nursing the sick. They eat the food of the patients". They do it very humbly, without any show, making Christ's teaching a reality, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (M.t 25:40).

When lakhs are spent to get the daughter married off, is a single thought given to the poor in the neigh-bourhood-the girl with not even a gram of gold, past the marriageable age? If such people, who cannot beg, and in despair commit suicide or go astray in life, will not God the just judge take us into account for it? Those, who are ready to give generously for fame and a name, part with just a morsel for the starving Lazar at their gate to appease his hunger. Is this enough? For those who run blade banks and exploit poor families, what will be the investment in heaven? Do we not meet beggars on the roadside, at our gate, on our journey? Do we not fumble for the smallest coin in our pocket when we decide to be merciful to the destitute while we waste money on the deadly cigarette glowing between our lips?

Pope John Paul II has said: "The poor are not those who have to be satisfied with the crumbs that fall off your table. When the Lazars of the 20th century stand at your gate, you have no right to waste your wealth. The food you have kept safe in the refrigerator is not yours. It belongs to the hungry. The clothes you do not use belong to those who have none."

The human vision of the Samaritan who was a stranger and foreigner should be ours. May the heavenly intercession of St. Vincent De Paul who took upon himself the crosses of his fellowmen, be an inspiration to us. May we get the grace to be called, "Blessed of my Father" by Jesus on the last day!

-Editor