SCIC Feast Day 5: Indifference is the Opposite of Love

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.
― Elie Wiesel (Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor.)

In his opening prayer, Fr. Dom said that Jesus always had a crowd following him but after some time they left. The faithful only came to Him when they needed him. In contrast, the disciples followed Jesus and imitated Him.

Fr. Dom quoted Elie Wiesel, that hate is not the opposite of love but indifference. He explained that indifference completely detaches one from another being and shows no care at all.

He explained that Jesus clearly highlights in the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus (Lk16: 19-31) that the rich man was in hell because of his indifference. The wealthy man was not in any way cruel to Lazarus but he was indifferent to his suffering. He allowed Lazarus to have the leftovers, he did not chase him away nor did he ill-treat him. But the sin was of indifference. The wealthy man had so much whereas Lazarus had nothing. The wealthy man was completely detached from Lazarus and he did not care that there was a poor man at his gate.

Fr. Dom added that today there are many like Lazarus, poor in need – financially, emotionally and psychologically. We are called to love and not be indifferent to their suffering. Called to heal the world by sharing what we have. He quoted Anne Frank “No one has ever become poor by giving.” We can give in cash, kind, smile or kind words.

He urged the congregation to be a disciple of Jesus- to imitate Him and be charitable to one another. He then asked them to reflect on the words of the song ” Heal the World”