Are You the Gospel’s Complacent, Comfortable Rich Person?

In this Sunday’s readings, God continues to direct our attention to the plight of the rich. God has been sending the rich and those who love money some clear insights during the last few weeks of Mass.

First reading excerpts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches…They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils…Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile.

Gospel excerpt: Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table…When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment.

Today’s readings ought to give us pause if we are the “rich” people lavishing in what we’re fed, how we’re dressed, and how leisurely we spend our time on the couch while the poor suffer outside of our walls. Have we become too complacent in our excess and comfort?

The questions we need to ask ourselves today are:

Am I too comfortable and complacent “on my couch”? Do I spend most of my leisure time not paying attention to the poor? How can I use more of that time and energy with the poor?
Do I feed myself too well, at the expense of what I could give the poor? Might there be an opportunity to fast from and/or give away my excess?
Do I dress myself too well, at the expense of what I could give the poor? Might there be an opportunity to fast from and/or give away my excess?
Am I outright ignoring the poor who ask for my help? Do I avoid the poor outside of my door?

The Psalm today reminds us of the nature of God - a loving God who is just and protects those who are oppressed, while also giving sight to those of us who are blind to how our actions and inactions affect others. Are we resembling God? Are we imitating Him? Are we open to Him healing our sight? Especially how we see the poor in our midst?

The LORD gives sight to the blind;

the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.

The LORD loves the just;

the LORD protects strangers.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,

but the way of the wicked he thwarts.

Too often, rich people live for their life here on earth. Maximizing our stuff, property, savings, investments, and experiences. Rather, we should be caring less about this life and living for our next life -- eternal life. If we did, I think we’d be less comfortable and complacent in our dealings with the poor, and we would make different decisions.

May God open the eyes and hearts of the rich in our society to come to the aid of the poor and oppressed. May our complacency, comfort, and excess weigh in our hearts so that we can meaningfully change our habits and not end up like the rich man who spent eternal life in torment. And may we resemble more and more each day the God who loves the hungry, thirsty, lowly, naked, and stranger more than our possessions and treasures.