Misconceptions

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions of the Jews; the rich are blessed by God and the poor are cursed by Him. Lazarus may have had a difficult life on earth but he was still loved so deeply by God. At the end of his life he found himself in the embrace of Abraham, whereas the rich man was tormented in the flames.

Despite what our culture tells us, our earthly success and material wealth do not define us. God is not concerned with our worldly accomplishments, but rather he looks within our hearts. God is more interested in how we love and treat others. We have a tremendous capacity to love and are called to bring that love forth in every situation. The rich man did not even notice Lazarus; he was too preoccupied with himself.

Lent is a time to allow ourselves to be open to the love of God and to be emptied of all that distracts us from loving the people around us. There are so many people in our lives who are looking to be loved. How can we do this? How can we reach out to those in need?
Today’s Tip: Take the time to notice every single person you encounter throughout your day. If you are able to offer love in some concrete way, take that extra step to do so. If not, smile and pray for every soul that you cross paths with, that they may come to know how truly loved they are by God the Father.