God does not Forget Those who are Forgotten by Everyone

VATICAN CITY, SEP 30, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, during his last Angelus at Castelgandolfo before returning to the Vatican, Benedict XVI commented on the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, as recounted in the Gospel according to Luke. "The rich man personifies the iniquitous use of wealth by one who uses his riches for unbridled and selfish luxury," the Pope explained, "while the poor man represents the individual whom only God cares for. ... God does not forget those who are forgotten by everyone. ... The story shows how earthly iniquity is overturned by divine justice. After death Lazarus is welcomed ... into eternal beatitude, while the rich man ends 'in agony in the flames'."

The Holy Father also pointed out how the parable can "be given a social meaning," and he recalled the "memorable" interpretation which Pope Paul VI gave it in his Encyclical "Populorum Progressio." Quoting the Encyclical, Pope Benedict said that combating hunger "involves building a human community where men can live truly human lives, ... where the needy Lazarus can sit down with the rich man at the same banquet table." As for the causes of poverty, they are, on the one hand, "servitude to other men" and, on the other, "natural forces which are not yet satisfactorily controlled." Pope Benedict continued: "Unfortunately, some people suffer from both these factors together. At this moment, how can we not think especially of sub-Saharan Africa struck by grave flooding in recent days? And nor can we forget many other humanitarian emergencies in various parts of the earth, where conflicts for political and economic power make serious environmental problems even worse."

"The appeal launched by Paul VI - 'The hungry nations of the world cry out to the peoples blessed with abundance' - still maintains all its validity today," the Holy Father added. "We cannot say that we do not know which path to follow. We have the Law and the Prophets, Jesus tells us in the Gospel. Those who do not wish to listen would not change even if someone returned from the dead to warn them." The Holy Father concluded his remarks by calling upon the Virgin Mary to help us "become more attentive to our brothers and sisters in need, to share with them the much or little we have and to contribute ... to spreading the logic and practice of true solidarity."

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