Who’s Outside Your Door?

Dear friends,
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Have you ever noticed that this rich man never did anything wrong? He just went about his life. For whatever reason, he didn’t even notice Lazarus. Maybe he was just busy. Who knows?

And that, Jesus says, is the problem. It’s not what the rich man did. It’s what he didn’t do. Life gets busy. I know some people that work hard all day and then spend the evening driving their kids to all sorts of sports and activities. I know young people that go to school all day and then spend the evening on homework, sports, part- time jobs, or school activities. 

But Lazarus lives today. He is the lonely kid at school. He is the hungry child in Africa. He is the refugee in Syria seeking a place to call home. Jesus challenges us to care for him regularly. Make it part of your “busyness,” not something you fit in when you find extra time.

Here are some tips. Ask God daily to show you the people others ignore. Read newspapers and surf the internet to learn about the problems that cause suffering in our world. Make community service trips and peace rallies part of your monthly schedule.

God has given you the power to change the world for people who suffer like Lazarus. Who’s lying outside your door? What’s one thing you do to keep your focus on people like Lazarus?

The Action: Reach out of your own little world to someone who needs some care and compassion. First of all, be observant to those around and try to be perceptive of where they may need some assistance. Give drink to one who thirsts, some food to another who hungers, and offer a kind word to someone who seems down. Connect with an organisation in your community that assists people who are living in poverty. This could be connected with your parish or some other agency that is seeking to help others. Get out and expand your circle a bit.
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