"One has to repent in life", because, "doing it afterwards is no use". It was said yesterday morning by Benedict XVI, before introducing the Angelus prayer from Castel Gandolfo. Taking inspiration from the parable of the rich man and the poor Lazarus, the Pope commented: "The rich man embodies the unfair use of wealth by those who use them for immoderate and selfish luxury, thinking only of fulfilling oneself, without taking care of the beggar who is at their door". The poor man, instead, "embodies the person of whom only God takes care: unlike the rich man, he has a name, Lazarus, short for Eleazar", which means "God helps him". "Those who are forgotten by everybody highlighted the Holy Father , God does not forget; those who are worthless in the eyes of men are precious in God’s eyes". Then the parable "shows how earthly injustice is overturned by God’s justice": after death, Lazarus is welcomed "into Abraham’s arms", i.e. "into eternal bliss"; while the rich man ends up "in hell, in torment". This is, explained the Pope, "a new state of things, final and unquestionable, and because of that it is in life that one has to repent, doing it afterwards is no use". (continued)
