Reflection for March 20 Thursday of the Second Week of Lent: Luke 16:19-31

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:

Imagine that you are the rich man in the gospel, and the poor man, Lazarus, is at your door. How would you react? Would you do the same as the rich man did in the gospel, or would you give food to the poor man, Lazarus? 

You would surely answer that you would give food because this is the right thing to do. Your decision to give food would also be influenced by the misfortune of the rich man after he died, for he ended up in hell. 

But is this who we really are? Do we truly help the poor, especially when nobody is watching? Oftentimes, we do good because we are influenced by the circumstances that surround us. For example, in the gospel, we read that the rich man ended up in hell. Of course, this is a circumstance that would influence us to do good, for we do not want to suffer the same fate. 

What if the rich man had known that he would be in hell if he mistreated the poor Lazarus? He surely would have treated Lazarus favorably because he would not want to be in hell after he died. But the rich man did not know that his apathy toward Lazarus would result in his eternal suffering. 

The gospel invites all of us to reflect on our attitude toward the poor, especially when no one is watching. For example, we may have a poor relative or a poor neighbor. How do we treat them when no one is watching? Do we always treat them with respect and love, even if they are poor? —Marino J. Dasmarinas