To Ignore the Poor Is to Reject God
Gospel Reflection
Today, the Word of God challenges us to examine whether we are truly living out our faith. The Scriptures confront us with this truth: wealth, without compassion and mercy for the poor, is a great wickedness—a serious sin that brings eternal consequences.
This Sunday, we are reminded that solidarity with the poor is not optional, but essential to Christian life. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: Solidarity "is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood." It "presupposes the effort for a more just social order” (See CCC 1939–1942).
God entrusts His blessings—whether material or spiritual—to us not for hoarding, but for stewardship. Our lives are not defined by how much we possess, but by how much we love.
In the first reading, the Prophet Amos issues a searing condemnation of those who live in luxury while ignoring the suffering around them. He describes a society blind to the poor and deaf to the cry of the afflicted. God's justice cannot be mocked: “Woe to the complacent in Zion... They shall be the first to go into exile” (Am 6:1, 7).
In the Responsorial Psalm, we are reminded that God is not neutral—He actively defends the poor: “The Lord secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry” (Ps 146).
While Paul, in the second reading, urges Timothy to pursue holiness over wealth: “Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness... Lay hold of eternal life” (1 Tm 6:11–12).
And what do we read in our Gospel today? Jesus presents the unforgettable parable of the rich man and Lazarus—a warning about the eternal consequences of indifference.
The rich man was not condemned for being wealthy—but for ignoring the poor man at his gate. He failed to recognize in Lazarus a fellow human being, a brother. He lived for himself, and in doing so, chose his eternity.
The Catechism powerfully connects this parable to our eternal destiny:
“We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him... To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him forever” (CCC 1033).
The question, truly is, do we truly believe in God?
Many of us say we believe in God. We attend Mass. We donate. We are part of church groups. But the deeper question is this: Does our faith move us to love our neighbor—especially the poor, the vulnerable, the unseen?
“The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ about the Last Judgment... should warn us of the urgent need to respond to the needs of our neighbor” (CCC 2463).
This Gospel calls us to ask: Do we recognize the “Lazaruses” at our doorstep? Do we respond to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the unborn, the elderly, the exploited? Do we fear not only judgment, but the tragedy of failing to love?
The Catechism reminds us that Lazarus represents all those who suffer and are abandoned—and that to ignore them is to ignore Christ Himself (CCC 633, 2463, 2831).
We may not all be financially wealthy, but God has entrusted us with something—time, talents, influence, relationships. These are not ours alone. The Catechism emphasizes: “Love for the poor is incompatible with immoderate love of riches or their selfish use” (CCC 2445) and it tells us that “The goods of the earth are to be shared fairly” (CCC 2439).
We are responsible for one another, let us not forget this.
Another point is that hunger is not only a material issue but a moral and spiritual problem, deeply connected to our prayer life. The Catechism tells us, “The drama of hunger in the world calls Christians... to exercise responsibility toward their brethren, both in their behavior and in their solidarity with the human family” (2831).
Our faith is empty if we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” while denying it to others.
Third, let us remember that Lazarus is not only the homeless man or the refugee. He is also the unborn child, crying silently in a society that often disregards life in the womb. Although abortion is illegal in our country, but how many babies are being aborted willingly by their parents every year. A 2020 study revealed that every year 1.26 million abortions were intentionally made by Filipino mothers, most below the age of 25.
Single mother with no support, many forced to give up their babies in one form or the other are also Lazaruses. And so are the elderly forgotten, many forced to live in the streets. The OFWs struggling for dignity in the hope of giving their families a better life. The victims of war and unjust economic systems. And many more.
To walk past them is to walk past Christ.
The CCC tells us, “Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ” (1021).
We are forming our eternal destiny by the way we live now. As the old saying goes: “Where we go hereafter depends on what we go after here.”
The rich man made his choice. So must we.
In the end, faith is not measured by what we say, but by how we love—especially the least among us.
As the Catechism tells us: “In the multitude of the poor, the Church sees the image of her poor and suffering founder” (CCC 2449), and “Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion... It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good” (CCC 1939).
Let us not make the mistake of the rich man—who waited until it was too late to care. Let us act now as we continually remind ourselves of our Psalm today, which goes:
Let this be our prayer.
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
This Sunday, we are reminded that solidarity with the poor is not optional, but essential to Christian life. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: Solidarity "is a direct demand of human and Christian brotherhood." It "presupposes the effort for a more just social order” (See CCC 1939–1942).
God entrusts His blessings—whether material or spiritual—to us not for hoarding, but for stewardship. Our lives are not defined by how much we possess, but by how much we love.
In the first reading, the Prophet Amos issues a searing condemnation of those who live in luxury while ignoring the suffering around them. He describes a society blind to the poor and deaf to the cry of the afflicted. God's justice cannot be mocked: “Woe to the complacent in Zion... They shall be the first to go into exile” (Am 6:1, 7).
In the Responsorial Psalm, we are reminded that God is not neutral—He actively defends the poor: “The Lord secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry” (Ps 146).
While Paul, in the second reading, urges Timothy to pursue holiness over wealth: “Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness... Lay hold of eternal life” (1 Tm 6:11–12).
And what do we read in our Gospel today? Jesus presents the unforgettable parable of the rich man and Lazarus—a warning about the eternal consequences of indifference.
The rich man was not condemned for being wealthy—but for ignoring the poor man at his gate. He failed to recognize in Lazarus a fellow human being, a brother. He lived for himself, and in doing so, chose his eternity.
The Catechism powerfully connects this parable to our eternal destiny:
“The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity... the chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God” (CCC 1035).
“We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him... To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him forever” (CCC 1033).
The question, truly is, do we truly believe in God?
Many of us say we believe in God. We attend Mass. We donate. We are part of church groups. But the deeper question is this: Does our faith move us to love our neighbor—especially the poor, the vulnerable, the unseen?
“The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ about the Last Judgment... should warn us of the urgent need to respond to the needs of our neighbor” (CCC 2463).
This Gospel calls us to ask: Do we recognize the “Lazaruses” at our doorstep? Do we respond to the cries of the poor, the hungry, the unborn, the elderly, the exploited? Do we fear not only judgment, but the tragedy of failing to love?
The Catechism reminds us that Lazarus represents all those who suffer and are abandoned—and that to ignore them is to ignore Christ Himself (CCC 633, 2463, 2831).
We may not all be financially wealthy, but God has entrusted us with something—time, talents, influence, relationships. These are not ours alone. The Catechism emphasizes: “Love for the poor is incompatible with immoderate love of riches or their selfish use” (CCC 2445) and it tells us that “The goods of the earth are to be shared fairly” (CCC 2439).
We are responsible for one another, let us not forget this.
Another point is that hunger is not only a material issue but a moral and spiritual problem, deeply connected to our prayer life. The Catechism tells us, “The drama of hunger in the world calls Christians... to exercise responsibility toward their brethren, both in their behavior and in their solidarity with the human family” (2831).
Our faith is empty if we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” while denying it to others.
Third, let us remember that Lazarus is not only the homeless man or the refugee. He is also the unborn child, crying silently in a society that often disregards life in the womb. Although abortion is illegal in our country, but how many babies are being aborted willingly by their parents every year. A 2020 study revealed that every year 1.26 million abortions were intentionally made by Filipino mothers, most below the age of 25.
Single mother with no support, many forced to give up their babies in one form or the other are also Lazaruses. And so are the elderly forgotten, many forced to live in the streets. The OFWs struggling for dignity in the hope of giving their families a better life. The victims of war and unjust economic systems. And many more.
To walk past them is to walk past Christ.
The CCC tells us, “Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ” (1021).
We are forming our eternal destiny by the way we live now. As the old saying goes: “Where we go hereafter depends on what we go after here.”
The rich man made his choice. So must we.
In the end, faith is not measured by what we say, but by how we love—especially the least among us.
As the Catechism tells us: “In the multitude of the poor, the Church sees the image of her poor and suffering founder” (CCC 2449), and “Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion... It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good” (CCC 1939).
Let us not make the mistake of the rich man—who waited until it was too late to care. Let us act now as we continually remind ourselves of our Psalm today, which goes:
“Blessed is he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry” (Psalm 146)
Let this be our prayer.
Photo from the net.
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