As we journey through Lent, the readings for Thursday of the Second Week of Lent (Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam II in Quadragesima) invite us to meditate on the contrast between those who trust in the world and those who place their confidence in God. The prophet Jeremiah (17:5-10) warns of the curse that falls upon the one who trusts in human strength, while the Gospel (Luke 16:19-31) presents the tragic figure of the rich man who, in his self-indulgence, neglected the poor Lazarus and was condemned to torment.
These readings confront us with a stark choice: Will we trust in the fleeting securities of this world, or will we root our lives in God, the source of true and everlasting life?
The Folly of Trusting in the Flesh
The prophet Jeremiah declares:
“Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” (Jer 17:5)
The rich man in the Gospel epitomizes this curse. He lived in luxury, clothed in purple and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day, while Lazarus, the poor beggar, lay at his gate covered in sores, longing for mere scraps from the rich man’s table. The rich man placed his trust in his wealth, in his comfort, in the fleeting pleasures of the world. But when he died, his riches availed him nothing. He found himself in eternal torment, while Lazarus was carried to the bosom of Abraham.
The Wisdom of Trusting in the Lord
In contrast to the cursed man, Jeremiah speaks of the blessed one:
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confidence. And he shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots towards moisture.” (Jer 17:7-8)
Lazarus, whose name means “God is my help”, embodies this blessedness. He had no earthly security, yet he placed his hope in God alone. St. Augustine reflects on this passage:
“The rich man was tormented because he had received good things in his life; not because he was rich, but because he had been unmerciful. Lazarus was comforted, not because he was poor, but because he had been humble in his poverty.” (Sermo 367, 3)
This is an important distinction: it is not wealth in itself that condemns a man, but the trust placed in it and the neglect of charity. The Fathers remind us that wealth is a test, not a reward—a means to exercise virtue rather than a sign of God’s favor.
The Hardness of the Human Heart
Jeremiah further warns that the human heart is deceitful and inscrutable:
“The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it?” (Jer 17:9)
The rich man, even in torment, remains hardened. He does not repent. Instead of begging for mercy, he seeks relief for his own suffering and asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers. Abraham responds:
“They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them.” (Lk 16:29)
Yet the rich man protests, believing that if someone were to rise from the dead, they would repent. Abraham’s response is chilling:
“If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one rise again from the dead.” (Lk 16:31)
This foreshadows the hardness of heart that would lead the Pharisees to reject Christ’s own Resurrection. St. John Chrysostom comments:
“They did not believe Lazarus, who rose from the dead; they did not believe Christ Himself when He rose; and even now, many do not believe.” (Homily on Lazarus and the Rich Man, 2)
How often do we seek extraordinary signs, while ignoring the clear teachings of Scripture and the Church? This passage is a call to conversion now, before it is too late.
Applying This Lesson to Lent
The rich man and Lazarus stand as figures for us to examine our own hearts. Are we hoarding the good things of this life while neglecting our duty to the poor, both spiritually and materially? Are we trusting in our own strength, in worldly security, in human approval—rather than in God?
Lent is the time to uproot false trusts and place our hope firmly in Christ. Let us reflect on the words of St. Gregory the Great:
“Give what you have, not because it is of no use to you, but because it is of no use to you to keep it.” (Homilies on the Gospels, 40)
May we, like Lazarus, entrust ourselves wholly to God’s providence, practicing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with sincere hearts, so that we may not hear those dreadful words:
“Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime…” (Lk 16:25)
Instead, may we hear:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Mt 25:34)
Let us trust in the Lord, and we shall not wither, but flourish in eternal life.
—Catechismus Catholicum