I can tell I’m getting older—I’m starting to repeat stories, but after over 28 years of preaching and writing reflections, some stories bear repeating, especially since at times we can tend to keep our heads in the sand or blinders on about certain matters around excessive binges.

A Dominican friend tells about meeting with another Dominican that had just returned to the US after serving in missions for more than ten years where he worked and lived with those who suffer extreme poverty in Central America. His first return trip to the Safeway shocked him as he gawked at the general opulence of our ordinary supermarket. He had to read several labels of foods he didn’t recognize, the overwhelming variety, special drinking water with electrolytes to replenish our sweat, caused him to ask, why isn’t our tap water good enough to drink as he held the special little 16-ounce blue bottle of water that sold for nearly $3.00, it all concerned him. The pet food aisle really set him to stuttering as he read the ingredients of choice meats for dogs, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, his eyes rolled as he saw row upon row of special vitamins, shampoos and conditioners, and tonics for pets. His response, “the poor people I know would love to eat what some Americans feed to their dogs.” It was almost a direct quote from our gospel parable today: Lazarus was wishing —just to eat the scraps from the table of the rich man, he would have had to fight off the dogs in the scene as well.

Also in our readings for today, the prophet Amos addresses the rich and powerful of the land –they have forgotten where their blessings come from as they bask in the glory of sumptuous richness ignoring the poor that suffer around them. Like the unnamed rich man in the gospel parable of Jesus, living in splendid surroundings, dining on the best of foods, while all the while the poor man Lazarus was starving at his doorstep. Safe to say we don’t eat like the rich man in the gospel or live in a palace, but I guess it depends on the perspectives of others.

God’s perspectives come across loud and clear about excess in all of scripture– no need to detail them. Also on where our blessings come from, what we are to do with our possessions and with whom we are to share them. We know that we are to do more than simply pray for those in need, BUT help persons in need.

I know that some of our parents and elderly in the parish are on limited or fixed income, and others are struggling with your own economic problems. I believe parents today have more demands on their time and budget than in recent history. Parents do not get affirmed enough, nor receive the needed support for the incredible challenges they are faced with daily in raising and providing for children. The church is one family in faith responsible to try to do more to help those who struggling to keep their faith and sanity with all the demands placed on their lives.   The church faith family is also a place to teach all about the many in our community that suffer struggling to keep food on the table. Thanks for your generosity to our St. Vincent de Paul ministry you help many people you will never meet and represent the charity of our church for all who come to us.

Perhaps you could educate your children about who are less fortunate—bring in the human factors rather than a category called the poor. Why buy that expensive pair of the latest shoes/sneakers that your child has to have because everyone else has them? Instead buy a less expensive pair that functions just as well, and invite the family to use the difference to give to St. Vincent de Paul. Take your child to see the Food Bank or Table and/or volunteer one hour a week to work there.

What about one bad hair Sunday per month—instead of giving to the local beauticians—and barbers—in my case it would be an overpayment anyway–we could call it “No-Do Sunday” and give the money to St. Vincent de Paul.

Is that 65” flat screen home entertainment center with surround sound that will bring Sunday and Thursday night football or The Voice, up close and in your face a real necessity? How about going for a 45” and giving the difference to Family Resource Center, or Catholic Charities for aid to the fire victims, or to Alpha Clinic. I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty—I get tempted by our culture of consumerism too—I helped develop it for 20 years!

However, prayers alone are not the only support we are to offer. We all have ways where we can make a difference in the quality of life of our sisters and brothers that suffer. And we know deep down that such giving will not cause us to suffer much of a difference in the quality of our lives.

We need to address issues that our sisters and brothers face in our parish, community, nation and world. There are others lying at our doorstep, waiting for acceptance and just reform to our laws– millions of immigrants who are also the Lazarus’s of our day. What are we going to do to help? It is not Christian to live as if God helps those who help themselves. It is not Christian to ignore and pretend as if we do not see their plight. God has blessed us so that we can bless others. Let’s avoid putting our heads in the sand and instead help Christ.