The Word of God
Jesus said to the Pharisees, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house -- for I have five brothers -- that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Luke 16:19-31
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Some people can enjoy the height of fashion. For them, life is a daily feast in well-defended mansions. In contrast the poor are clothed in running sores and lie among dogs. They are famished and weak, and are excluded from the good things of life. Both rich and poor die, but then their fortunes are reversed. Because God is pure compassion, the poor are brought straight into the kingdom of God, while the rich have to endure the pain of conversion. I ponder the mysterious workings of God’s providence.
- The rich think of the poor as their servants. Twice in the story the rich man asks God to send the poor man on errands that will help his own cause. But self-centred choices gain no credit in God’s eyes. The hearts of the rich must melt when they see the plight of the poor. I pray for the rich that they be converted, and I ask to be shown how to share my own possessions with the needy.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Jesus is asking his listeners to open their eyes to what is around them and to open their ears to the simple commands of the Gospel: love your neighbour. Praying on this story can challenge us to care for the needy in whatever way we can improve the lives of poor people.
- We can move too quickly through this parable - we know it, and it's ending well. Stay in prayer with its beginning. Nobody should be covered in sores and hungry; nobody should be comforted only by dogs. In a world of homelessness, hunger and loneliness, should anyone be dressed so well and feast so well? One had no choice but to fast, the other had a choice to help. Saint Ignatius wrote each day, ‘Who will I help today?’
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- It is interesting to note that Lazarus is the only name given to anyone in Jesus’ parables; it means El-azar,’God has helped.’ This is a reminder to us that no poor person is invisible to God. Each needy person that we pass on the street is known to God by name and loved by God. When is the last time that, as I dropped a coin in a hat, I asked the person his or her name?
- It is not that the rich man did not believe. He found himself in torment because of the way he treated others. As St James writes in the New Testament, ‘What good is it, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.’
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- What feelings arise in you as you read this story from St Luke. Who in the story do you identify with? The rich man did nothing wrong expect ignore the poor man. What is Jesus trying to teach me in this?
- What are some of the ‘riches’ I am called on to share with the ‘Lazarus’ in my every day. Talk to Jesus about this.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- As I listen to the parable, I ask for the grace to hear it afresh. I listen to Jesus tell it to me and ask, “where is my life like this?”
- As in so many other parables, Jesus reverses the usual order in telling the story of Lazarus, the poor man – the rich man remaining anonymous. As I bring my life before God, I allow my usual priorities to be changed as God values and cherishes what I may have come to take for granted.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- This is a parable of startling contrasts, but its central message is simple: be alert to the needs under your nose. It is not concerned with patterns of good living on the part of Lazarus, nor of evil-doing on the part of the rich man. But the latter closed his eyes to the needy at his gate. And without an eye for the needy around us, our life becomes self-centred and callous. Jesus is asking his listeners to open their eyes to what is around them, and to open their ears to the simple commands of the Gospel: love your neighbour.
- This is a great story with no ambiguity about it. We have an obligation as Christians to feed the hungry. Every hungry man and woman in the world is on our conscience. While we did not create the problem, we can be part of the solution. Our hearts go out to the millions of old and young in the world just because they are hungry, like Lazarus was at the rich man's gate. Allow some prayer today to enlarge your compassion for the hungry and your desire to do what you can to feed them, for in feeding them, we feed Jesus.
- This story reminds us of the huge inequality of people in Jesus' time and still today. The parable invites us to see ourselves as richer in the goods of the world than many millions. Even by having access to this text, you count among the privileged world. Praying on this story will simply challenge us into care for the needy in whatever way we can improve the lives of very poor people.
- During Lent I try to hear the call to come back home to God. I join the great pilgrimage of people who, through the ages, have been called by Moses and the prophets to listen to the word of the Lord.
- I asked for a greater sensitivity to those who live with nothing and think of how I might show some compassion to those whose need is greater than mine.
- The rich man had some feeling for his brothers, if little for the poor man at his gate. I pray that my sense of fellowship be broader than any limits of class, country or religion that the world teaches me to observe.
- God’s message is abundantly clear, Jesus says. I ask God to help me to perceive, attend and follow God’s word in this day.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Jesus is asking his listeners to open their eyes to what is around them, and to open their ears to the simple commands of the Gospel: love your neighbour.
- Praying on this story can challenge us into care for the needy in whatever way we can improve the lives of poor people.
- All whether rich or poor, must die. “When we look at the wise, they die…and leave their wealth to others” (Psalm 49:10). Death is inevitable for us all, and there is no escape from it. We prepare our future dwelling place now by charity and patient endurance.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Take some time to speak to Jesus about this story; consider the situation that was in his mind and recognise how his heart was moved. Look, with Jesus, at your situation, at your world: who are the self-satisfied rich, who are the overlooked poor? Where does Jesus recognise you?
- Jesus describes Lazarus as being forgotten by people, ‘cared for’ only by dogs. The wealthy in our world often lavish more care on pets than on their brothers and sisters. I ask God to open my heart and to let me look with compassion on the poor so that I become more like Jesus.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- This is one of the most famous parables in the Gospel and is found only in Luke.
- Note that the rich man is not presented as being cruel to Lazarus or mistreating him. He was ‘condemned’ for doing nothing, for seeing the miserable state of Lazarus and doing nothing about it.
- Ask the Lord to help you see the extent that you do something about the misery you see about you and to help you see what more you could do.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- This is a parable of startling contrasts, but its central message is simple: be alert to the needs under your nose. It is not concerned with patterns of good living on the part of Lazarus, nor of evil-doing on the part of the rich man. But the latter closed his eyes to the needy at his gate. And without an eye for the needy around us, our life becomes self-centred and callous. Jesus is asking his listeners to open their eyes to what is around them, and to open their ears to the simple commands of the Gospel: love your neighbour.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- We can move too quickly through this parable - we know it and its ending well. Stay in prayer with its beginning. Nobody should be covered in sores and hungry; nobody should be comforted only by dogs. In a world of homelessness, hunger and loneliness, should anyone be dressed so well and feast so well? One had no choice but to fast, the other had a choice to help. Saint Ignatius wrote for each day, ‘Who will I help today?’
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- This parable is addressed to the religious leaders of the time. But it applies to each of us, especially those who have been blessed with privilege, money, talent, education etc. There’s nothing wrong with being rich in any of these ways. It’s how we use our riches that matters eternally.
- In the modern world we all know Lazarus and his millions of companions. The hungry, deprived, dispossessed, exploited are lying at our gates in the First World. We are uncomfortably aware of them and their needs. Like the rich man in the parable we have no excuse.
Some thoughts on today's scripture
ActiveDefault- Some people can enjoy the height of fashion. For them, life is a daily feast in well-defended mansions. In contrast the poor are clothed in running sores and lie among dogs. They are famished and weak, and are excluded from the good things of life. Both rich and poor die, but then their fortunes are reversed. Because God is pure compassion, the poor are brought straight into the kingdom of God, while the rich have to endure the pain of conversion. I ponder the mysterious workings of God’s providence.
- The rich think of the poor as their servants. Twice in the story the rich man asks God to send the poor man on errands that will help his own cause. But self-centred choices gain no credit in God’s eyes. The hearts of the rich must melt when the see the plight of the poor. I pray for the rich that they be converted, and I ask to be shown how to share my own possessions with the needy.