by Father Patrick Longalong
We live in a world where it is easy to look away. With so many conveniences at our fingertips, the struggles of others can fade into the background — out of sight, out of mind. Yet the word of God this Sunday will not let us remain comfortable. It unsettles us, forcing us to see that faith without compassion becomes blindness, and comfort without responsibility becomes dangerous.
The prophet Amos warns those who live in ease, lying “upon beds of ivory” while the suffering of others goes unnoticed (Amos 6:1). Jesus sharpens the message in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man, dressed in fine clothing, feasted daily, while Lazarus lay at his gate, starving and covered in sores. His sin was not simply his wealth — it was his blindness, his failure to respond to the suffering at his doorstep.
Not long ago, I had a conversation with a well-meaning person about poverty and the struggles many face — struggles that are often hidden from public view. At one point, this individual looked at a volunteer nearby and whispered, “If many people worked as hard as I do, they wouldn’t be poor.”
What the person didn’t realize is that the volunteer they pointed out already works two jobs that don’t pay well, while also taking on side hustles just to make ends meet. On top of that, he still found time to volunteer at church. The truth is that many people work incredibly hard and still struggle. Effort does not always translate into wealth. Low wages, lack of access to education, limited connections, and systemic barriers all contribute to cycles of poverty.
This is exactly the insensitivity Jesus warns us about: the assumption that poverty is only the result of laziness or bad choices, while ignoring the larger truth that many simply do not have the resources or opportunities others take for granted.
When Paul urges Timothy to “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11), he is reminding us to see people not through stereotypes, but through the eyes of compassion.
The rich man in the Gospel did not end up in torment because he was wealthy. He ended up there because he ignored Lazarus. He stepped over him, day after day, without ever stopping to help. He even knew Lazarus by name — meaning he saw him, but chose not to respond. His sin was indifference.
Our world today mirrors the Gospel scene. Many of us live with choices and comforts, while others, often just a few steps away, lack even the most basic necessities. The challenge Jesus presents is not to make us feel guilty, but to make us aware. Who is the Lazarus at our gate? Who are the people we see but fail to notice — the unhoused man on the corner, the mother skipping meals so her children can eat, the co-worker juggling multiple jobs but still behind on rent?
Jesus calls us not simply to work hard, but to work with compassion. Eternal life is not gained by ignoring others, but by loving them in concrete ways. The cross shows us that Christ did not remain in comfort but entered into our poverty and pain.
If we are to be His disciples, we must be willing to see, to respond, and to love. Because love ignored is love lost.
Father Longalong is the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village, and coordinator of the Ministry to Filipino Immigrants.