[19] 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.


The Rich Man and Lazarus

Today's parable does not speak of healing and mercy as many do. Instead, it conveys a severe warning. Its intent is to shake us. Actually, it needs to shock us.

The Parable of the Rich Man & Lazarus has within it many social issues, such as wealth, poverty, and marginalization. Those who are marginalized, and even cast out of the community of believers, include those with mental illness, mental retardation, the homeless, the unemployed, those confined to institutions. Our world is full of Lazaruses, and in fact, God sends them to us specifically so that we can help them meet their needs.

Scripture teaches us that man was instructed to enter into a covenant with God (Genesis). We also know that man was created as an act of God's love, is sustained by that love, and called to enter into communion with God, a life which truly we have no right to enjoy. It is only because of God's love and mercy that this is actually even possible for us.

Therefore, nothing we have is our own. We cannot posses anything. It is all God's. The moment we actually begin to claim it as our own, is actually the time we begin to lose those gifts God has given.

Saying anything is ours actually tends to separate us from each other, and begins to create walls that are virtually impossible to scale. The selfish use of our possessions, in the final analysis, actually serves to divide people, wreck lives, and destroys human relationships.

When this occurs we forfeit the value of relationships. Madness, insanity, and the violence in our life takes hold, and our lives are out of control.

The Rich Man was so self-absorbed and never saw Lazarus. He was not aware of Lazarus' pain, his hunger, and his need even to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's sumptuous table.

If we live our lives in simplicity and awareness, our singular act of love to each Lazarus we encounter, will begin to change the world, one person at a time.

Fr. Marc Vranes
October 21, 2007

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