Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Be "sensitive to the poor, and include them in social life", recalling Pope Francis' invitation to a "poor Church and a Church that is for the poor": this is the invitation launched yesterday to faithful by Mons. Nereus Rodrigues, Rector of the basilica di Santa Maria del Monte in Bandra (Mumbai), during the Sunday mass. The springboard for the reflection was the Gospel reading of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk 16: 19-31).
In his homily, Fr. Aniceto Pereira, Vice-Rector of the basilica, stressed that "the growing gap between rich and poor is akin to the parable. In Indian society, Lazarus represents not only the poor, but also the Dalits and especially the Dalit Christians and tribals". The problem, he explained, is that "rising inequality has drastic social consequences such as violence and other depraved behaviour".
"Without cooperation," he continued, "between the rich and the 'Lazaruses' of society no one is safe. The safety of people depends on solidarity, we cannot remain indifferent to the sufferings and lack of basic necessities of others without suffering the consequences".
