Saint Luke's account of Jesus' challenging preaching continues this week with the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Wealth and poverty seem to cross each other again. But there is more to the story – it is indifference and complacency what is at stake here. The readings for this Sunday help to set up the stage. In the first reading, the prophet Amos denounces "the complacent in Zion," so absorbed in their revelry as they fail to recognize the country collapsing around them! Like the wealthy of ancient Israel, the rich man pays no attention to Lazarus, who would have been content with mere scraps.
In the Gospel, the rich man who lived his selfish and self-centered life is forgotten, not because of his wealth but because he failed to attain to the measure of a true person due to his decision not to love his neighbor and his failure to acknowledge and find his life in God. After his death, he ended at a place of torment. The poor man Lazarus, on the other hand, who sat at the rich man’s gate, begging and receiving nothing but scorns, has found great glory in heaven because of his patience and humility.
Today’s Liturgy of the Word presents us with a great opportunity to ponder upon the meaning of this message. What most absorbs my time and attention in my life? In the parable, a man is absorbed and pays attention to himself as he has “everything” he needed to make him happy, and yet the message turns such an attitude of what makes a person happy and successful upside down. In this story, Jesus paints a dramatic scene of contrasts – riches and poverty, heaven and hell, compassion and indifference, inclusion and exclusion. We also see an abrupt and dramatic reversal of fortune.
Many people in our modern “sophisticated” times say and try to convince others of their own personal opinion, for example, that hell does not exist and simply everyone goes to heaven. They seem to grasp a phantom god, one who is more accessible, and far less demanding. Many cling to Christianity without Jesus, to discipleship of Christ without the Cross. Others are attracted to a god who is “politically correct”- who brings people without judgment through the gates of heaven. The gamble is incredibly great for those who take this modern view of an automatic salvation and for all who do believe this, might very well live with eternal regret.
This is no doubt a hard message for us to hear, especially where in a country, despite our wealth, millions of individuals and families struggle to make ends meet. In a world where nearly two billion people live on a mere dollar a day, the Gospel demands that we ask ourselves whether we have been complacent or even indifferent to the needs of our sisters and brothers.
One way to make sure we don't fall into sins of omission and fall into complacency is by taking a lesson from the Boy Scouts. Every Boy Scout is committed to keep on the lookout for an opportunity to do at least one voluntary, selfless act of service every day. Certainly, a simple and yet very meaningful and practical way to start adjusting our attitude and disposition to support what matters most in life – treasure that is a God-centered life of discipleship.
On Friday, Fr. Xaviour became a new United States citizen. Please join me to congratulate him in this incredible moment in his life! I am very proud to call him my brother priest and now my fellow U.S. citizen. With Fr Xaviour’s citizenship we have decided to change his name to his original name – Fr. Jaisemon [pronounce Jaison]. From now on Fr. Xaviour will be called Fr. Jaison.
“A man who makes himself a god must hide; otherwise his false divinity will be unmasked.” - The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen.