Today’s
Gospel Text: "There was a rich man, who
was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man
named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what
fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was
carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was
buried; 23 and in Hades, being in torment,
he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24 And he called out, 'Father
Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in
water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Son,
remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in
like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between
us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass
from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, 'Then I beg you,
father, to send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so
that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have
Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father
Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not
hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should
rise from the dead.'" Luke 16:19-31
Reflection: There
are some people who have great faith and there are many who follow their
religious duty seriously. The sight of these does gladden the hearts of the
many who see their devotion.
But
what do many people pray for, from God the giver of all things? There are many
who ask for prayers and the one thing that they would normally ask for is an exchange towards peace
and prosperity.
In
life too we seek the many comforts of life and many luxuries that life has to
offer us.
Like
the Jews of ancient times, we too look at man as blessed if he has all the
luxuries of life at his disposal.
Is
this what life is meant to be? Perhaps it could be fine to have the luxuries
and the wealth of life but seeking to live in its comforts to the extent of
making ourselves extremely comfortable and forgetting the one who has given them to us is inviting trouble for our eternity.
What Jesus says should be considered as a warning:
The
gospel passage of today throws up the same truth by Jesus: he who makes himself
comfortable in the world and lives in that comfort forgetting one’s duty
towards God and fellow being is bound to accelerate into hell.
But Abraham said, 'Son,
remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in
like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
(vs.25)
In
the brotherhood of faith, the rich man had the obligation and duty to care for
the poor brother, who couldn’t help himself. His helplessness is brought out by the
fact that the dogs had to lick his sores.
“So you see that it is
men of faith who are the sons of Abraham.” Gal 3:7
We
cannot be living in pure luxury when our brothers and sisters in the faith are
living in utter miserable poverty;
“Let us do good to all
men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Gal 6:10
Prayer: Lord, as
you teach me not to seek the luxuries of life, help me to be generous with what
you have given me, especially towards my brother and sister in the faith.
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
