A Ministry of Hope

by Sr Renee Dreiling ~ February 21, 2008, 2nd week of Lent

In today’s first reading, Jeremiah appears to be reflecting on and bringing alive the words of the Responsorial Psalm—words that were written many years before he began his ministry—words that birthed hope. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.  That one is like a tree planted beside the waters…it fears not when the heat comes, its leaves stay green…in the year of drought, it still bears fruit…”

We know that Jeremiah had a very difficult life.  His own family turned against him (Jer. 11:19-23; 12:6); the king Zedekiah was his friend in the secret of night, but left him to his enemies in the day (Jer. 37).  He died, persecuted and alone (Jer. 43).  Yet Jeremiah became one of the most crucial figures in Israel.  We can imagine, since Jesus was a scholar of the Old Testament and spoke often of the prophets, that the book of Jeremiah sustained Jesus in prayer.

So what sustains me in my prayer?  Where do you find sustenance?  Where do we find the water that nourishes our roots?  What keeps our leaves green and enables us to bear fruit even when we are tired and weary?

An oft repeated theme in the prophets is justice for the poor.  The gospel brings in Jesus’ own commitment to and care for the poor.  Scholars think that the Pharisees Luke has Jesus addressing today were actually Christian Pharisees in Luke’s community who were arguing that the Mosaic law concerning treatment of the poor had been abrogated by Jesus’ ministry.  In this parable, Luke makes it clear that, for those who seek eternal life, the obligation to care for the earthly needs of the poor remains.

Who are the poor for us today?  Does Lazarus take form in someone who is hungry for attention?  Perhaps someone who tempts us to say, “Oh, grow up!”   Is Lazarus in the many despairing people who request our prayers for overwhelming difficulties?

     (story of CMN and her tears because our prayers for her daughter were answered)

The rice bowl enables us to offer food to the Lazarus we don’t see, sheltered as we are in this sacred place.  Our larger community offers money in many areas of peace and justice. We fund several different emergency funds in different cities where our Sisters minister.  But we need to keep being aware of our own personal response, however small it may be, that we don’t become like the Pharisees in Luke’s story thinking that someone else, some other ministry has covered our obligation to care for the poor, to offer them hope.