Today’s liturgical readings give lessons in contrast. The one who trusts in earthly things, like the rich man in the Gospel, dries up and dies. Such a person is cut off from all happiness. The rich man, like the barren shrub, thirsts for even a little water. The one who trusts in God finds abundant life even in hard times.
Today’s Gospel is powerful in describing how we can live and share our life and resources with the sisters and brothers we meet every day. Jesus said to the Pharisees who loved money: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and 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.”
1.The contrast between the rich man and Lazarus, is not only seen as described in the passage above, but also seen in the final outcome of each of their lives.Obviously, the first contrast, the rich man’s life seems much more desirable, at least on the surface. He is rich, has a home to live in, dresses in fine clothing and eats sumptuously every day. By contrast, Lazarus is poor, has no home, has no food, is covered with sores and even endures the humiliation of dogs licking his wounds.
2. In the second stage we read that naturally both of them die. “The poor man died and was carried away by angels to be with Abraham.” And when the rich man died, he went to the netherworld, where there was ongoing torment.
3.The story is very clear that the lure of riches and its effect on the soul cannot be ignored. Those who are rich in the things of this world are often tempted to live for themselves rather than living for others. When one has all the comforts this world has to offer, it’s easy to simply enjoy those comforts without concern for others. Eventually we become blinded by the material world and forget that the ultimate goodness comes from God. After all, material and physical wealth will not give us any guarantee of entering the kingdom of God.
I think today’s Gospel story can be very inspiring to us in so many ways of how near or far we are in knowing, listening and responding to God’s will in our daily lives as well our relationship with the needy ones.
May the words of Christ be real in our daily lives! Fr. Mussie