Seeing Lazarus Today
Dear friends,
This Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man lived in comfort and abundance, while poor Lazarus lay at his gate—hungry, in pain, and unseen. In the end, their roles are reversed, and the rich man finally notices the one he had ignored.
Hearing this story, I can’t help but think of the blessings we enjoy—our food, health, and safety—and how easy it can be to overlook those who are suffering near and far. This week, I was deeply moved by the sight of over 500 priests marching in Rome beneath the banner “Christ Died in Gaza.” They came not as politicians, but as shepherds—praying the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic, carrying the names of children and families lost to violence. Their witness proclaimed: we cannot be silent when our brothers and sisters suffer. (https://zenit.org/2025/09/16/pope-leo-calls-on-catholics-in-gaza-more-than-500-catholic-priests-announce-march-in-support-of-gaza-in-rome/?eti=27531)
I think of Father Gabriel Romanelli, still celebrating Mass amid the ruins of Gaza, sheltering hundreds who have nowhere else to go. He himself was injured and has lost parishioners, yet he can still say, “God is with us.” Pope Leo XIV even called him personally—not to give answers, but to remind him: “You are not forgotten. I’m praying for you.” That is the kind of Church I hope we will be: present, prayerful, and faithful.
When Jesus tells this parable, I believe He is gently calling us to open our eyes. The rich man’s sin was not his wealth—it was that he stopped noticing. He grew accustomed to someone else’s suffering. So I ask myself: Who is lying at my gate today? Perhaps it is Gaza. Perhaps it is a neighbor who is lonely. Perhaps it is someone in my own family who feels unseen.
We cannot solve every problem in the world, but we can love. We can pray. We can give. We can lift our eyes and notice the people God has placed at our gate.
This week, I invite you to join me in prayer—for peace in our world, for the safety of the innocent, and for the grace to recognize the Lazarus in our own lives. Let us not wait until it is too late to become the people God calls us to be.
Questions for Prayer This Week:
1. Who is the Lazarus at my gate—and have I been overlooking them?
2. What small step can I take this week to respond with compassion?