Do you ever feel compassion fatigue? With all the destructive happenings in the world as a result of natural causes, political infighting and human sinfulness we can get worn down by it all. Compassion fatigue is an inoculation against weariness from the enormity of the pain and suffering around us. Our readings suggest we ought not to let the immensity of human hurt prevent us from acknowledging poverty, injustice, racism, corruption, disease and loneliness and all their unpredictability to distract us from reaching out to others with personal and spiritual support in the name of Jesus Christ.
Saint John Paul II wrote that: “the parable of the rich man and Lazarus must always be present in our memory; it must form our conscience. We cannot stand idly by, enjoying our own riches and freedom if in any place the Lazarus of this century is at our doors. In the light of the parable of Christ, riches and freedom means a special responsibility. Riches and freedom create a special obligation”, he concluded. We who are blessed in so many ways have a special obligation to be present to those in need. It is one way we respect life. This parable also reminds us that we will be held accountable.
The beggar in the Gospel was given a name, Lazarus, which means “God is my help.” Perhaps he was named so we would see him as a real person. The rich man was not given a name. We name ourselves as Christians. To live up to that name, we are called to accept the responsibility to be the means through which God helps others.
The sin of the rich man in the parable was not that he was rich or that he ate well and wore fine clothes, though moderation is a virtue. The sin of the rich man was that he either failed to care about Lazarus at his gate, a fellow person in need, or that he did not even notice him.
Most of us would like to think that we would not be that insensitive. Of course help should be given to those in need. That is what charities and government are for. That is why we make contributions and pay taxes. That is true, and generosity in our local church is truly impressive. However Jesus I think suggests that sometimes that is not enough because the salvation of souls is at stake, others and our own. It is not enough to let others do for us; sometimes God asks us to be the means of his help. It does not require heroic efforts, only, as Saint Mother Teresa suggested doing small things with great love.
Jeremy was two months old when he needed emergency heart surgery. He arrived by ambulance at the hospital late at night. His mother, tired, cold, very worried waited in the starkness of the hospital. A janitor pushed his broom past her on his appointed task. A few minutes later he returned and handed the mother a blanket. Years later, her son healthy and grown, the mother still remembered that unknown man whose simple act of kindness gave comfort in a moment of need. He saw Lazarus in that waiting room; God became her help through him.
A young family built a house. They moved in before all the details were finished – closet doors, trim, etc. As a humorous way to encourage her husband to keep at it, his wife posted a star chart on the refrigerator as she did for the children. Tasks were listed and when completed gold star was placed on it. The husband took some heat about this at work. One day he began feeling tired, and three short months later he died of cancer at 34. One of his co-workers who had razed him came to the house and asked to see the star chart. Over the days of mourning and beyond, he earned stars for the husband and father now gone, and finished the list. He saw Lazarus grieving; God became that family’s help through him.
The Lazarus’ of our day not only need physical nourishment. There is a spiritual emptiness as well. There is a deep hunger today for meaning, for value, for God. The focus in our secular culture is on me and mine which is not sustaining; nor does it satisfy that hunger. Only Christ through his Church can offer that. We Catholics are spiritually rich.
A young lady took a job in a factory in Detroit. She was a joyful Catholic. She had meaning in her life and did not hide it. A non-Catholic man in her department noticed and asked many questions about the Church and what we believe. She invited him and his girlfriend to Mass. She explained the structure of the Mass, the things on the altar, the stories in the windows and the symbols on the walls. This led to more and deeper questions. Over time they asked for instruction. She saw Lazarus on the factory floor.
What are the riches we can share to fill that spiritual hunger? We can share the gift of being privileged to receive the Lord himself in the Holy Eucharist and the mercy and freedom that comes through confession. We can share Sacred Scripture and Tradition which guide us and keep us steady in the highs and lows of life. We can share the liturgical treasures such as Christmas midnight Mass and Holy Week, the consolation of a Catholic funeral and the communion of saints, the joy of first communions, confirmations and weddings, the reassuring presence of the Blessed Mother, and the awe and certainty of Christ’s love and mercy for all people, and so much more. That is what the New Evangelization is all about, sharing our spiritual riches with those hungry for meaning and for hope.
God is the help of those poor in both the material and spiritual senses. We sometimes are called to be God’s instrument, perhaps simply with a cup of coffee, a blanket, a helping hand, a promise of prayer or an invitation to meet Christ in His Church. These small things that are done with great love declare that we notice and we care, and that God cares.
The fact is that surely someday we will be Lazarus ourselves, the ones in need, the ones for whom God though his disciples will be our help.