26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
My dear parishioners,
God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!!
The story of the rich man and Lazarus highlights once again Lk’s concern for the rich and the poor and the divine reversal of their fortunes. Mediterranean culture at the time of Jesus told stories like this to console the many people who in this world felt deprived even of life’s essentials while the rich continued to live in abundance.
The rich man and Lazarus. Both of these characters are described in matter-of-fact terms. The rich man dressed and dined in the manner of rich people everywhere. He is not characterized as a particularly bad or cruel person. However, he is isolated from life around him, and he is totally unaware that there is a desperately poor person lying at his door. Lazarus, on the other hand, is not portrayed as especially good or virtuous. He is desperately poor, and he has to contend with all the hardships and humiliations that befall those who live in poverty.
With death comes reversal of fortunes. When Lazarus died, he was immediately transferred from earthly poverty to heavenly bliss where he resided in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man, on the other hand, was consigned at death to the netherworld where he was in torment. Part of the rich man’s pain was being able to see Lazarus enjoying his new life with Abraham. The rich man’s plea for just a drop of water goes unheeded. The state of both the rich man and Lazarus is permanent and irreversible. The rich man is paying for his life of complacency while Lazarus is experiencing the fullness of life.
Spread the word. When the rich man understands that his netherworld status is permanent, he wants Abraham to go and warn the man’s brothers so they will not end up in torment also. But Abraham tells them that they have been warned over and over through the teaching of Moses and the prophets, yet this has done no good at all. One more warning will not change them.
Notice that the issue is not one of good people versus bad people. It is all about awareness, sharing one’s abundance with those in need. What appears to be permanent in this life is not permanent in the afterlife. Ultimately, God’s justice will win out. A true disciple does not wait. He or she acts now
Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Aloysius