“Seeking to be more other-centred and heaven-oriented!”

(Based on Jer 17:5-10 and Lk 16:19-31 – Thursday of the 2nd Week in Lent)

Schindler’s List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama film, which received 7 Oscar awards.

This movie is based in the true story of a Catholic businessman, Oskar Schindler, who lived in Poland during the 2nd world war.

After a life of initial notoriety, in which he made a lot of money, by betraying his own people…
… Schindler, later realized the horrors of the Nazi rule.

He began to use his wealth and influence…
… in order to save his fellow Jews from the holocaust.

By the end of the war, he was reduced to having very little money

But in the process, had managed to save hundreds of Jews from being killed.

The last scene of the movie depicts, Schindler being thanked by the people whom he had saved.

But suddenly, Schindler began to weep!

Looking around at the people who were rescued, he exclaimed: “I could have done so much more!”

Holding up his gold watch, he moaned, “This could have bought someone’s freedom!”

He wished that he could have started sooner in helping people, so that many more could have been rescued!

His self-centredness had caused failure in saving many more people!

It was an agonizing experience of the negative effects of “indifference in life” and the “sin of omission!”

We need to examine our life and check:

Am I a person who misses out on doing the good we can?
Do I fail to reach out the needy, even though I am able?
Has self-centredness became a way of life for me?

The Gospel of the Day is a powerful message to look deeper into these aspects of our life…
… and seek to be more other-centred and heaven-oriented!

The parable of the rich man… “who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day”
… and of Lazarus, “a poor man, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores”
… is a remarkable story that challenges us to get out of our “zones of comfort and indifference!”

The ways of the world constantly allure us…
… to be “dressed in purple linen and fine clothes” (Lk 16:19) and to be self-centred: “Just go about with our business and don’t consider other’s needs”
… to be “dining sumptuously” (Lk 16:19) and to look to only one’s own comforts and needs: “Live and let live. I don’t need to care about others, when I have my own cares to be attended to!”

But the Christian way of life is a challenge to this “rich man’s style of living”

There can be no excuse given to us…
… if we miss out on doing the good we can!
… if we fail to reach out the needy, even though we are able!
… if self-centredness has become a way of life for us!

Time is short…
… and our life is limited!

Let us begin today, with no further delay…

To do the good we can…
… in the best way we can!
… to all the people we are able!
… in every situation that is possible!

Let our lives be totally offered to the Lord, Who alone is the source of every goodness and mercy.

In the words of Prophet Jeremiah:
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green…
… and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit!” (Jer 17:7-8)

Let us seek to be more other-centred and heaven-oriented!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:

What moves us to believe is not the fact that revealed truths appear as true and intelligible in the light of our natural reason
We believe “because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived”.
So that the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason…
… God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit.
Thus the miracles of Christ and the saints, prophecies, the Church’s growth and holiness, and Her fruitfulness and stability “are the most certain signs of divine Revelation…
… adapted to the intelligence of all”; they are “motives of credibility” (motiva credibilitatis), which show that the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind!” (CCC # 156)

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