Twenty-sixth
Sunday of Ordinary Time (C) [Lk 16:19-31]
25.09.2022
The Parable of the Rich Man and the Poor Lazarus
1. Theme in brief
Sensitivity to the needs of the poor
2. Focus Statement
Noticing poverty and
wretchedness at our gate, and doing nothing about it, or unwillingness to share
our resources with the have-nots is a sin of omission and indifference.
3. Explanation of the text
In the parable of the Rich
Man and the Poor Lazarus, Jesus paints a stunning picture of contrasts
between these two main characters: the rich man represents lavish riches
and the poor Lazarus abject poverty; the former suffers torments of hell (in Hades, 16:23) and
the latter enjoys blessedness of heaven (in Abraham’s bosom, 16:22).
Another striking contrast between the rich man clothed in purple and feasting
sumptuously every day (16:19), and the poor Lazarus not even getting crumbs
that fall from his table is also portrayed (16:21). Further, the abundance of
wealth of the rich man is contrasted with his cold indifference towards the poor
Lazarus at his gate.
According to this story,
the rich man experiences ‘heaven’ on earth, whereas the poor Lazarus ‘hell’. But
after their death, there is a drastic reversal of fortunes (16:19-23); the rich man goes
to hell and the poor Lazarus to heaven. While living, the rich man makes a big
show of his wealth by dressing in purple and fine linen clothes and feasting
sumptuously (16:19), whereas the poor Lazarus is starving at his gate and dogs are
licking his soars (16:21). After their death, the rich man finds himself in “Hades”
(hell), whereas Lazarus is carried away to be in Abraham’s bosom (paradise).
While on earth the rich man enjoys highest luxury but after death suffers
agony, whereas Lazarus suffers immensely here on earth due to his misery but
now is in greatest comfort. An unbridgeable chasm or gulf (16:26) and a strong gate
divides them. This gate also symbolizes the distance that separates the world
of the poor from the rich.
Just like Matthew’s parable
of Last Judgement, this one also connects eternal reward and damnation with works of mercy
done or not done to the least ones (Mt 25:31-46). This story also
tells us that the fortunes of the rich and the poor are reversed in the
We are not told that Dives had
amassed his wealth by fraud or exploitation. Nor are we told that he did any
harm to Lazarus. He neither chased the poor Lazarus from his gate nor ill-treated
him nor had any objection to his eating the crumbs that fell from his table
(16:21). He just
ignored him or did not bother about his misery. He went out and came
in through the gate umpteen times but just closed his eyes to the condition of
the poor beggar. He did not notice even the dogs licking the soars of Lazarus
(16:21). He was totally insensitive to the needs and feelings of his
neighbour (Lazarus) who was a destitute. Thus, in contrast to last Sunday’s
shrewd steward, he totally failed in his ‘stewardship’ (a charge given by God) by ignoring
the right of this poor man to live with dignity. He was condemned not because he was rich
but because of his apathy, indifference and lack of concern towards
the needs of the poor Lazarus. He refused to share his goods or food with Lazarus at
his gate covered with sores (16:20). He did not want to be involved in the
problems of Lazarus either. He placed his complete trust in his riches; whereas the
poor Lazarus, deprived of earthly riches, totally relied on God alone. He went to
heaven not because of his poverty but because of his total trust in God as his
only rescuer.
Any amount of pleading by
Dives with Father Abraham to send Lazarus either to cool his tongue with water
(16:24), or to send Lazarus to earth to caution his five brothers did not work
(16:27), because it was too late. Way to salvation is the way of listening to ‘Moses and
prophets’ (that is, the Scriptures, 16:29) and putting the Word of
God into practice by sharing what we have with our neighbours in need.
If one remains unmoved by the message of God’s Word, then even if a miracle takes
place such as somebody rising from the dead will not convince such a person
(16:30-31). From John’s gospel we come to know, when another Lazarus rose from
the dead, instead of getting converted, the Jewish leaders plotted to kill
Jesus (cf. Jn 11:45-57).
4. Application to life
This parable rightly exemplifies
the terrible and scandalous inequalities that exist in our world (even at
our gates) between the rich and the poor or the haves and have-nots. In spite
of technological advancement, today we cannot but observe the glaring co-existence
of wealth and poverty, luxury and misery, skyscrapers and dingy slums. There
are millions of Lazaruses in our world who lack necessities of life. They
struggle for survival and are left with a few crumbs that fall from the rich
man’s table – sometimes not even crumbs. Naturally, Dives represents a minority
of the rich and the powerful people of the world who enjoy most of its resources.
Today’s gospel is a social
gospel pointing to the relationship of religious practices to our social
involvement. It is a severe indictment to those who promote
religious devotions and rituals but totally ignore the social implications of
the gospel of Christ. In spite of being pious in our religious observances, the
riches of this world may prevent us from noticing the ‘poor Lazarus’ (that is, poverty
and misery) covered with sores at our own gate (16:20). Excessive attachment to
wealth can create a ‘gate’ that separates us from God and the needs of the
poor. It can blind us also to the truth of impermanence of our lives and
possessions. Inside the gate there may be lavish food and drinks (sometimes
even wasted or thrown out after the grand parties and banquets), and outside of
it hunger and misery. Today’s gospel invites us to reach out to people outside
our gate by sharing
something of what we have. The real problem is not our money, but whether we
love money in such a way that we become totally blind to God's concern for the
poor and the deprived.
A careful study of this
story reveals that Dives is not punished for being rich, nor is the poor man
rewarded for being poor. The rich man's sin was not his riches but his total insensitivity
to the needs of the poor Lazarus. The very fact that Lazarus was lying at his
gate provided him with plenty of opportunities to share something of his
wealth. But hardheartedness
and lack of
compassion in him were the reasons for taking no action. Refusal to share our resources (goods,
money, funds, knowledge and infrastructural facilities) with the have-nots and indifference to
extreme poverty, misery, need and ignorance is against God’s will or against
the gospel of Christ. As
mentioned in textual explanation above, by this sort of indifference we become
guilty of the sins of omission. In this case, we do not commit any
evil but omit (fail to do) the good we should have done. In other words, noticing the misery and
wretchedness at our gate, and passing by with no involvement, is a sin of omission or
indifference. We hardly realize that tolerating extreme social inequalities (in
terms of goods, knowledge, health facilities, etc.) and doing nothing to bridge
the ‘chasm’ or gulf (16:26) between the haves and have-nots by way of sharing
what we have, is also wrong. We confess this wrongdoing when we say, “I have sinned in what I have
failed to do” in the beginning of the Holy Mass.
As mentioned in today’s
parable, Dives has still ‘five brothers’ (who represent people like him) roaming
about in our world. They have no feelings for the poor in pain and misery.
Though the Gospel’s Dives is in hell, the world’s Dives and his brothers are unaffected.
There is a Dives sitting inside of us, when for pleasure trips, grand celebrations
and lavish parties we have enough money, but when there is a call to help the
poor, we say we can’t afford; or when the rich and the powerful visit us, we
are courteous, polite and kind, but when the poor come we become impatient and
shout at them. With the money spent by the rich people for dog-food and
cat-food in affluent societies, and with the money spent for advertising such
food, we could have fed quite many hungry stomachs. This parable is a stern warning
to ‘all the brothers of Dives’ – all those who do not care for the poor. We
need to examine ourselves whether we have noticed a Lazarus in our midst and shown
any mercy or kindness towards him/ her. Do the cries, pain, grief, misery and
suffering of the ordinary people move us? Are we not guilty of tolerating
extreme social conditions and not doing anything about it?
According to this story, the
rich man’s torments in Hades were the consequence of his failure to “repent”
(16:30) for the times he passed by poor Lazarus at his gate without even seeing
him or doing nothing to alleviate his misery. As pious Jews, the Pharisees
considered wealth as a sign of God's blessings and poverty as a sign of God's
displeasure or punishment for serious sins. Naturally, they might have thought
persons like Lazarus deserve such misery due to their own fault. The same thing
happens to us when we evade our social responsibility by saying, “The poor are
poor due to their own mistake or laziness. Let them also slog it out to reach
our grade”. Sometimes we may give religious reasoning for the plight of the
poor and justify our inaction, such as we are blessed by God with fortunes
whereas they are not blessed. This passage invites us to repent for thinking
and acting in this manner. We should not forget the historical truth that many
rich countries have become rich by looting the resources from their former
colonies.
What does this parable
teach those who are not materially rich? It reminds them that they
too are called to share something of what they have (need not be
wealth or money) with those who are in dire need. The question we have to ask
is not whether we are rich, but whether there is a Lazarus sitting at our gate,
and begging not necessarily for bread but for a word of love, recognition,
appreciation, acceptance, forgiveness and consolation, or seeking employment, education,
rehabilitation, justice, dignity, moral support, peace of mind, meaning in
life, etc. Do we notice him or her? We need not be ‘oil rich’; all of us are
wealthy enough to share something from this list. There may be a Dives in all
of us who does not notice a Lazarus at the gate……
What does this parable tell
today’s parents? Because of fewer children in families, they become more and
more greedy.
What a heavy responsibility is laid on the parents to teach their children not
to set their hearts only on “dressing in purple clothes and fine linen” and go on
“feasting sumptuously every day” (16:19). After all, these things are not going
to last for ever. How important it is to teach them respect for the poor and to
motivate them to share with the poor something of what they have in abundance.
If sharing of resources is totally ignored by the rich, a day may come when the
poor will rise up against the rich.
5.
Response to
God's Word
Have we erected a ‘gate’ between
“us” (the haves) and “they” (the have-nots)? Does this gate make us deaf to the
cries of the poor and separate us from their needs, concerns and issues? Do we
share our goods and resources with those who lack them? With whom do we side
and associate always? Do we have friends among the poor? In this text Abraham
says to Dives: “They have Moses and Prophets; they should listen to them”
(16:29). We have personal and family prayers, community prayers, retreats,
novenas, healing sessions, Sunday Masses, Scripture readings, homilies,
catechism, etc. If these are not enough, even if somebody rises from the dead,
can we be converted from our insensitivity to the cries of the poor?
6. A
Prayer
Dear Lord, today you once
again open our eyes to recognize the needs and rights of the poor. We have
sinned by closing our eyes to extreme poverty, misery and ignorance around us,
and by refusing to share our resources with the have-nots. Give us the
generosity and a sense of active concern for any Lazarus sitting at our gate,
and begging not only for bread but for a word of recognition, appreciation,
acceptance and consolation. Grant that we may be attuned to your voice coming
from Scriptures which tells us to share whatever we have with our neighbours in
need. Make us more sensitive to their needs and motivate us to act on their
behalf. Amen.
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