March  12,   2020

LYING  AT  THE  DOOR 

OF THE HUMAN HEART 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 2^nd Thursday in Lent  is, “Lying at the Door of the Human Heart.”

THE READINGS

Today’s two readings have some powerful thoughts.

The first reading has a mysterious text: Jeremiah 17: 9. “More tortuous than all else is the human heart,  beyond remedy; who can understand it?”

Hopefully, our hearts are not beyond redemption – not beyond remedy - that Christ is our brother – and all our brothers and sisters are welcome into our human heart.

They are  at our door invite them in. Welcome them in.

Then the gospel has this powerful parable – this story of Lazarus who  is lying at the doorstep of the rich man.  The rich man never opens up his heart or his house, his table or his chairs to the poor man.

Both die. Lazarus the poor man goes to the bosom of Abraham and the rich man goes to hell.

The rich man does have a change of heart. He begins to worry about others – asking Abraham to warn his 5 brothers to see and care for the poor – something he didn’t do while on earth.

These 2 readings – provide good Lenten reading – that the human heart can be a mixed and messed up center of a human being – especially when a person has closed or never invites  the unnoticed into his or her heart.

REDEMPTORISTS

St. Alphonsus  began the Redemptorists when he found out that priests in the Kingdom of Naples were not interested in the poor – unwashed – unnoticed goat herders – up in the hills and hovels of the Kingdom of Naples.

He was in Naples – working as a regular priest – but was overworking and got sick.  He was told to take a break – get some rest – down on the Amalfi Coast.

While there – someone knowing he was a priest – told him about the poor and neglected goat herders.

And that is how we started – to provide church for those who didn’t  have a church that was interested in them.

As Jesus said, “The poor – you always have them with us!”

But like Lazarus the poor man in today’s gospel, they are the unnoticed.

Last night I was thinking about the many Lenten soup suppers I went to. It was always easy to sit with people I knew or seemed friendly – the crowd sitting together and laughing. I’d get my soup. Now who to sit with. With soup in hand I could look around a hall and always spot the person by themselves or the person everyone avoids.

That was the person I headed for.

I remember preaching a mission in a small parish. On the left – every night – 1/3 back from the front  was “The Cat Woman.”

Nobody sat near her . They stayed 5 to 10 yards away. The whiff of cat and urine and smell was very strong.

I found out that various ladies in the parish tried to get her to shower and use deodorant. No luck. Different people feeling guilty would sit near her, but they would give up. I tried sitting next to her a night I wasn’t preaching.  Sorry to say, two nights later I sat close but far enough not to be gagged by her scent.

CONCLUSION

In the meanwhile, we ought to see who the unnoticed are. We need to give voice to the voiceless.

The truth will set us free.

Lazarus is at our door – or inside our church – or in our groups – or in our family – and we’re not giving them attention.

As Emma Lazarus wrote in her poem that is at the base of the Statue of Liberty, “We’ve got a place for you here in our country.”

As we sing, “All are welcome in this place.”

We’re lying if we don’t welcome all in our places.

If we don’t,  we’re in hell.

If we don’t,  the light in our torches has gone out.