“When we open our hearts to others, we open them to God.”

Jesus gives us the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. One lived in comfort and luxury, the other in hunger and pain. The tragedy is not just that the rich man had wealth, it is that he never noticed the poor man lying right at his doorstep.

A teacher once asked her students to draw a picture of what love looks like. One child drew a door with a person standing outside. “This,” he said, “is love, someone opening the door.” Sometimes love begins with just noticing who is right in front of us.

Amos warns against complacency, reminding us not to live at ease while others suffer. St. Paul encourages Timothy to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and gentleness.” While Jesus teaches us that our choices in this life shape eternity.

The rich man was not condemned because he had wealth, but because he closed his heart. Lazarus was not saved because he was poor, but because God lifts up the lowly. The parable invites us to open our eyes, to see Christ in those who hunger, struggle, or sit quietly on the margins of our lives.

This week, let us notice who is at our doorsteps, someone in need of encouragement, kindness, or practical help. By opening our hearts to them, we are opening ourselves more deeply to God’s love.

Prayer: “Lord, open our eyes to see You in those around us, and open our hearts to share Your love with them.”

Your Priest,

Fr. Charles Enyinnia