Homily: Thursday of the 2nd Week of Lent - Where is your trust?

The prophets were always gifted at drawing the line in the sand, and Jeremiah does just that in the reading this morning.  Who do you trust?

Listen again to Jeremiah:

Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.

And on the other hand:

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.

Much hinges on that little word trust: it means the difference between being cursed and being blessed.

Those who trust in themselves are barren.  Those who trust in the Lord are like a tree planted near nourishing water.  It fears not the drought and yields fruit even during the dry times.

Consider the Rich man in the Gospel today: where did his trust lie?  Look at the fruit of his life: the rich man is so selfish and arrogant that he isn’t even aware of the poor man who begged at his very gate.  He cared more about his dogs than human beings.

John Paul II said one Lent that the “excessive desire for possessions prevents human beings from being open to their Creator and to their brothers and sisters” The rich man was so focused on his earthly possessions, his pets, his wealth, furnishing his home, that he became closed to God and his neighbor.

Excessive desire for material things and for immediate gratification is a key indicator of a lack of trust in God.  Our very own country’s official motto is “In God We Trust”.  Yet, what is the evidence of that?  What’s the evidence in our own lives of our trust in God?

Our readings today speak to our Lenten practice of almsgiving—this Lent we are called to a deeper trust in God that is evidenced by God works—by the works of mercy.  Two full weeks into Lent we do well to examine: where have I put my trust? where have I sought detachment from earthly pleasures in order to seek freedom to give of myself in service? Let not our lack of self-examination be the cause of our neglect of Lazarus who lies sick and dying at our gate.

May the Holy Spirit open the eyes of our hearts to see how God is calling each of us to a greater selflessness this Lent, to a deeper trust in Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.