Gospel:
Luke 16:19-31
Jesus
said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and
fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man
named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the
scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his
sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of
Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where
he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at
his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment
in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what
was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but
now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and
you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish
to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours. He said, ‘Then I beg
you, father, send him to my father’s house for I have five brothers, so that he
may warn them lest they too come to this place of torment. But Abraham replied,
‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them. He said, ‘Oh no,
father Abraham but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.
Then Abraham said ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither
will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.
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Reflection:
Does the
poor have a purpose in the life of the rich and affluent? Yes they have! The
poor closes the gap between the rich and God, the poor brings God closer to the
rich for the poor represents God. Jesus himself said that whatever we do to the
least or poor we do unto Him (Matthew 25:40).
We have
in our gospel the characters of the nameless rich man (He could be anyone of
us) and the poor man Lazarus. The nameless rich man is insensitive to the needs
of the poor man Lazarus. Why? Because the rich man perceived the poor Lazarus
as good for nothing, Lazarus would simply disturb him from his enjoyment of his
riches.
What if
the rich man knew beforehand that at the back his door stands God in disguise
in the person of the poor man Lazarus? Who unceasingly knocks to bring him more
blessings and to save him from going to hell? He would have immediately opened
his door and give Lazarus every precious things and every royal treatment that
he could give him.
But the
rich man never recognized the presence of God in Lazarus, he instead
nonchalantly continued with his greedy and insensitive lifestyle.
How then
could we connect this gospel to our own personal life? We see and encounter the
poor (Materially and Spiritually poor) almost everyday. Do we even care to take
a second look at them and then give them something to fill their empty stomachs
and spirits? If we can’t give them anything because we are also poor, do we
even care to talk to them or even smile at them?
There are
times that yes we give to the poor and to those who are in need. But we want
everyone to know about this and we limit our giving to the things that we don’t
need anymore. We limit our generosity to give them money that will not hurt our
own bank accounts. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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