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 was 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 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 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 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!
If only we know that it’s Jesus whom we are
helping. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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