This
morning at Mass we heard the familiar parable of Jesus about a rich man
and the beggar Lazarus just outside his door. This was complemented at
Mass by Psalm 1, in which we heard, "The LORD watches over the way of
the just, but the way of the wicked
vanishes." It is striking that the rich man thought only of himself.
Even after death his only thoughts were about his parched lips and his
own suffering. In life he failed to see the needs of someone at his
doorstep, and in death he thought only of himself and his brothers.
Yet, we do not know his name. For all eternity he will remain
anonymous. For all of his wealth and all of his ego, he is nameless. We
do remember the poor man, Lazarus. Lazarus lives in our memory
forever, while "the way of the wicked vanishes." After our death our
remembrance will be only as great as those whom we have helped in this
life. If we helped ourselves more than others, we will have a small
remembrance indeed. How many of our conversations with God, like those
of the forgotten rich man, include the words "me" or "I?" Perhaps the
measure of devotion is how few of our prayers refer to ourselves. Lord,
enlarge my vision and open my arms to the needs of others.
