Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2
“The fine linen perished, the kingdom departed to another, the luxuries passed away; but the sin of them went with him, as a person’s shadow follows him when walking. And for this reason, after his extravagant banquets, and his luxurious table, he begs for a drop of water that falls from a leper’s finger, and calls to alleviate his punishment the beggar who, perhaps, when he lay at the gate, did not even have hands; for surely if he had had them he would have driven away the dogs that licked his sores. And he desires to join Lazarus, seeing him on the other side, and is hindered by the ditch or gulf between them, which was no hole that had been digged nor artificial ditch like that which one can see between hostile camps in war. But the Scripture, I think, means that his sins were the obstacle that cut off the approach of the condemned to the righteous. And the prophet Isaiah sets his seal to my interpretation, when he sternly rebukes a foolish people and says, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened, that it cannot save? Or is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear? But your sins stand between you and God.”
Asterius of Amasea (350-410) in his sermon, “Against Coveteousness.”
Why sit in such strong preaching and share excerpts as posts? The lack of generosity rooted in coveteousness is not a financial issue but a spiritual issue. And during Lent, the only right response is confession and repentenance because God first and foremost wants our hearts.
The rich man should have aided Lazarus whilst he was living. Now is the time for us to use what we have to show love of God and love of neighbor. Soon the time will come when the luxuries will perish. Many will regret squandering God’s resources at that time who have not put them to work today.
Father, forgive us for our many sins related to coveteousness. We have cared more about comfort than Christ, more about luxuries than the lives of those in need around us. Help us chart a new course by your Holy Spirit, lest our desires destroy us. Hear our prayer in your mercy in the name of Jesus. Amen.