OXYGEN

04 Mar – Memorial for St Casimir

Casimir (1458-1484) was a 15th century Polish prince who became Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1471. He was third in line for the throne.

Hungarian nobles had prevailed upon Casimir’s father to send his 15-year-old son to be their king. Casimir obeyed, taking the crown, but refusing to exercise power. His army was outnumbered, and his troops deserted because they were not paid. Casimir returned home, and was a conscientious objector from that time on.

He returned to prayer and study, maintained his decision to remain celibate even under pressure to marry the emperor’s daughter. He reigned briefly as king during his father’s absence.

He lived a highly disciplined, even severe life, sleeping on the ground, spending a great part of the night in prayer, and dedicating himself to lifelong celibacy. He had a great devotion to Mary, supported the poor, and lived a virtuous life amid the dissolute court.

- Patron Saint Index
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Jeremiah 17:5-10

The Lord says this:

‘A curse on the man who puts his trust in man,
who relies on things of flesh,
whose heart turns from the Lord.
He is like dry scrub in the wastelands:
if good comes, he has no eyes for it,
he settles in the parched places of the wilderness,
a salt land, uninhabited.

‘A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord,
with the Lord for his hope.
He is like a tree by the waterside
that thrusts its roots to the stream:
when the heat comes it feels no alarm,
its foliage stays green;
it has no worries in a year of drought,
and never ceases to bear fruit.

‘The heart is more devious than any other thing,
perverse too: who can pierce its secrets?
I, the Lord, search to the heart,
I probe the loins,
to give each man what his conduct
and his actions deserve.’
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Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.”

‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham “let them listen to them..” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’
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… give each man what his conduct and actions deserve

I once attended a training course during which I learnt of the strict conditions required for a product to be certified ‘organic’. Vegetables, for example, need to be free of growth enhancement chemicals, and must have been allowed to take its natural time to reach harvest, that is, not enhanced to produce bigger or faster products to meet commercial needs. But this is not the only condition. The land in which it is grown must also have a history of good natural soil, and be free from artificial chemicals.

I also learnt that in a perfect world, if every individual on Earth does not overeat, and if food is evenly distributed, there would be enough to feed the whole world with just organic food products.

Are we ‘organic’ towards our Father? Do we have the natural instinct to love and focus on God who is Creator? Men and women today place their trust in other men and women, and money, instead of the Lord, thinking that will make them a better person in knowing to love or give. In the news, we read of people who turn to greed, lust, pride, which lead to unjust behaviour, in order to get the things (of flesh) that they desire. Their hearts are turned away from the Lord.

Today’s Gospel passage reminds us that our Lord is a just God. He gives to each man what his conduct and actions deserve. Of course this does not mean that all rich men will suffer in agony after death, and all poor men will be lifted up to heaven, but it is the conduct and actions that we behave that are what we are judged by.

Looking all around us every day, we are tempted so much that we are blinded to the ‘organic’ provisions from God. I definitely am one who happens to notice more secular temptations than positive invitations placed by God (through the Church and various ministries).

Perhaps, while we reflect on today’s readings and we find that we mirror more the rich man, then let us also notice the sign-posts around us which point to Christ. Let us be convinced that in this season of Lent, to look forward to Jesus’ resurrection and belief in eternal life. Let us plant ourselves by the continuous flow of God’s love, and stretch our roots to nourish ourselves with the directions provided to us in this world.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Austin Leong)
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Prayer: Dear Lord, guide us to be as ‘organic’ as can be, so that we truly turn to You in times of our needs and not on other secular alternatives.

Thanksgiving: Jesus, Moses, prophets, popes, bishops, priests, parents… thank You for all of them to comfort us and show us the richness of Your love and of what is to come in Your kingdom.

Upcoming Readings:
Fri, 05 Mar – Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28; Matthew 21:33-43,45-46
Sat, 06 Mar – Micah 7:14-15,18-20; Luke 15:1-3,11-32
Sun, 07 Mar – Exodus 3:1-8,13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12; Luke 13:1-9; Third Sunday Sunday of Lent