LYING AT THE DOOR
OF THE HUMAN HEART
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily for this 2nd 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.
