The Poor is with Us

Reflection Date: March 5, 2026 | Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Daily Readings: Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:19-31

Children of God:
Fr. Girish Santiago, Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Myanmar, recalled February 1, 2021, as one of the most decisive and tragic turning points in the country’s modern history. 

On that day, the military seized power, abruptly ending a decade-long democratic transition and triggering nationwide unrest and armed conflict. 

Now, five years on, the consequences continue to weigh heavily on communities across Myanmar. 

According to Fr. Girish, the coup not only shattered political hopes but also unleashed a humanitarian crisis marked by displacement, economic hardship, and deep social divisions. 

Because of this, Church leaders across Asia urged the faithful to unite prayer, fasting, and acts of charity in solidarity with people suffering under conflict as Christians worldwide began the Lenten season. 

They pointed especially to Myanmar, where hopes for peace remained fragile five years after the military coup plunged the country into turmoil. 

The suffering of a nation became more than a news item; it became a call to conscience.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus told the story of a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. 

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. 

Both men eventually died, and their situations were reversed: Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man found himself in torment.

The rich man pleaded for relief and for a warning to his brothers, but Abraham reminded him that they had already received Moses and the prophets.

What are our inspirations for today?

First, the call to compassion.

The rich man was not described as violent or abusive. He simply lived comfortably and ignored the suffering at his doorstep. 

Lazarus lay at his gate, visible yet unnoticed, present yet neglected.

Comfort can slowly build walls around the heart. 

We can become so focused on our own security that we fail to see the wounded lying just outside our routine. 

News about conflict, poverty, or injustice can become background noise instead of a personal call.

Now we are invited to open the gates. Do we allow the suffering of others to disturb our comfort? Do we translate prayer into practical generosity? 

Second, the call to share.

The rich man saw Lazarus every day. 

Yet seeing did not lead to sharing. 

Abraham reminded the rich man that during his lifetime he received good things while Lazarus received bad things, and the gap between them became permanent.

The tragedy was not wealth but the silence of selfishness. 

He never allowed privilege to become provision for someone else.

Today we reflect on how we respond to visible suffering. When we see communities like those in Myanmar enduring hardship, do we remain spectators or do we become participants in charity? 

Do we share our resources, our time, and our prayers? And as Lent calls us to fasting, do we let our sacrifice become bread for someone else?

Children of God:
The rich man lost eternity not because he committed a crime but because he ignored a cry. 

Lent gives us a sacred opportunity to notice, to care, and to act. 

We cannot solve every crisis, but we can soften one heart, feed one family, support one mission. 

May this Lent move us from mere advocacy to people of action.