26th Sunday of Ordinary Time – The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Sin of Omission

Introduction

- Once a parish priest shared his experience during the preparation of the first holy communicants in his parish. While preparing them for the confession he gave them a creative guidance that was to mention 5 good things that they did without any obligation, after saying the sins in their confession. The students began to prepare for the confession. It was easy for them to find out the sins but they took a long time to find out the good things that they have done without any obligation.

- In our confession we are more concerned about the sins of commission. It is easy to find out – by comparing our deeds with the 10 commandments and the precepts of the Church. It is also necessary to find out our sins of omission.

- In this parable we see the sin of omission that caused the rich man for his torment in fire in the neither world.

Content

- Sin of omission is very much connected with insensitivity. We are sensitive towards the sins of commission but not so much to the sins of omission.

- An incident in the life of Mother Teresa – Mother Teresa heard that one of their neighbor’s families was suffering from poverty and starvation. So she collected some rice and went to that house to give it to them. She visited the house and gave the rice. When the house wife received the rice she divided it into two, took once part and went out of the house. After some time she returned. Mother Teresa asked “Where did you go?” The house wife who was a Hindu answered that there was a Muslim family near to that house. They were also starving for days. So she thought of sharing half of the rice with that family.

- The rich man in the gospel is not too bad when compared to many of us, because;

o He allowed Lazarus to be at his door side though he had soars and dogs around him (that nobody would allow in these days such a person to be at our gate for a long time)

o He allowed Lazarus to eat the scraps of his table.

o He begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his brother’s house in order to save them. He had a true concern and love towards his brothers even though he was suffering.

- Though he was good he received a place in the eternal fire. It is because of his sin of omission.

- God gave him opportunity to acquire the wealth in heaven through the person of Lazarus but he denied it.

Conclusion

- What is our tendency when see poor and less privileged?

1. They are poor because of their mistakes and wrong doings. So let them suffer. For example some people become baggers because of their bad habits such as gambling, drinking etc.

2. They are poor because of the corruption in the government. Though the government allows the funds the middle man eats everything and the poor is left abandoned. In this case we blame government and corruption.

3. Some of the poor come to us to cheat us and to get the money. For example persons asking for help “to get a bus ticket to the province”, but the real need may be different. Here the fact that they are poor and in need of help. We brand them as cheating people.

- In all these thee cases we blame others for poverty and wash our hands.

- Let us realize that these are God given chances for us to acquire wealth in the everlasting life.

Let us reduce our sins of omission by utilizing the chances that are given to us through the poor and less privileged.