Gospel of March 4, 2021
Gospel of March 4, 2021: As long as Lazarus was under his house, for the rich man there was the possibility of salvation, throw open the door, help Lazarus, but now that both are dead, the situation has become irreparable. God is never directly called into question, but the parable clearly warns us: God's mercy towards us is linked to our mercy towards our neighbor; when this is missing, even that does not find space in our closed heart, it cannot enter. If I do not open the door of my heart to the poor, that door remains closed. Even for God. And this is terrible. (Pope Francis, General Audience May 18, 2016)
From the book of the prophet Geremìa Jer 17,5: 10-XNUMX Thus says the Lord: «Cursed the man who trusts in man, and puts his support in the flesh, turning his heart away from the Lord. It will be like a tamerisk in the steppe; he will not see good coming, he will dwell in arid places in the desert, in a land of salt, where no one can live. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and the Lord is your trust. It is like a tree planted along a stream, spreads its roots towards the current; it does not fear when the heat comes, its leaves remain green, in the year of drought it does not worry, it does not stop producing fruit. Nothing is more treacherous than the heart and it hardly heals! Who can know him? I, the Lord, search the mind and test the hearts, to give to each one according to his conduct, according to the fruit of his actions ».
Gospel of the day 4 March 2021 of Saint Luke
From the Gospel according to Luke Lk 16,19-31 At that time, Jesus said to the Pharisees: «There was a rich man who wore clothes of purple and fine linen, and every day he gave himself to lavish banquets. A poor man, named Lazarus, stood at his door, covered with sores, eager to feed himself with what fell from the rich man's table; but it was the dogs that came to lick his sores. One day the poor man died and was brought by the angels next to Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. Standing in the underworld amidst torments, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus beside him. Then shouting he said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and wet my tongue, because I suffer terribly in this flame. But Abraham answered: Son, remember that in life you received your goods, and Lazarus his evils; but now in this way he is consoled, but you are in the midst of torments.
Moreover, a great abyss has been established between us and you: those who want to pass through you cannot, nor can they reach us from there. And he replied: Then, father, please send Lazarus to my father's house, because I have five brothers. He admonishes them severely, lest they also come to this place of torment. But Abraham replied: They have Moses and the Prophets; listen to them. And he replied: No, Father Abraham, but if anyone goes to them from the dead, they will be converted. Abraham replied: If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if anyone rises from the dead. "
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER