Today we have a very famous and much-commented parable, of Lazarus and the rich man. However, we want to ask ourselves a question: what attitude should a Christian have towards riches? Luke does not demonize riches and does not want to encourage pauperism, but he emphasizes two attitudes that must characterize the believer in his relationship with the goods of the world: sharing and inner freedom. Why share? Because every gift comes from the Father of light, as James reminds us (cf. James 1:17). By its nature, the gift always refers to the donor and then to the neighbour. When we are aware that the gift comes from God, that we are gratified by Him, we become grateful, we say thank you. But not only that, we also learn to give in turn. Inner freedom, on the other hand, is not contempt for goods but the discovery that, at the foundation of everything, there is God. Starting from this second awareness, we use goods without remaining prisoners of them or being conditioned by them. But Luke reminds us of a third aspect: it is necessary to be faithful in administering what has been given to us: “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much” (Luke 16:10). The important things concern not only riches, roles or so-called “positions” in life but the treasures of salvation. It may happen that a Christian does not always know how to evaluate for himself and for others the preciousness of the salvation that God offers him daily. Hence the invitation not to despise the gifts of God so as not to be deprived of them. There is a fourth aspect: the sharing of goods leads to peace. The use of riches, therefore, does not only affect the personal conscience of the individual, but also the politics of peoples; nothing more urgent and timely, given the current world panorama.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey