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:
A dying rich woman had a dream about Jesus asking her if she wants to be
in heaven when she dies. The dying woman said: “Yes my Lord I want to be in
heaven when I die.” Then, Jesus asked her again: “Would you be willing to give
your treasures to the poor?” The woman replied, “Yes my Lord I will give all I
have to the poor.” So she donated all her treasures to the poor. After a few
days the woman died and true enough her soul was immediately welcomed by the
Lord in heaven.
Does the poor have a purpose in the life of the rich? Yes they have! The
poor closes the gap between the rich and God, the poor brings God closer to the
rich for the poor is very much loved by God. Jesus himself said that whatever
we do to the poor we do unto Him (Matthew 25:40).
We have in our gospel the characters of the nameless rich man 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 Lazarus as good for nothing,
Lazarus will simply disturb him.
What if the rich man knew beforehand that at the back of 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 indifferently continued with his insensitive behavior.
How can we connect this gospel to our own personal lives? We see and
encounter the materially and spiritually poor almost everyday. Are we doing
something to fill their empty stomachs and spirits? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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