In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
What are we to learn, dear brothers and sisters, from today’s parable? On a surface level, it is better to be as Lazarus than as the rich man. The rich man was not only rich but extravagantly rich, he dressed in the highest quality clothes and feasted daily; meanwhile Lazarus sat in destitution at the gate. But after their deaths their positions are reversed: one is in Hades in torment, the other in Abraham’s bosom. So the temporary nature of their wealth or poverty is repaid subsequently with an eternal reality. Yes, it is better to be as Lazarus than as the rich man.
But, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this cannot be the only level of meaning in this parable, otherwise it would elevate poverty as the supreme virtue—but we know the poor can still perform evil, poverty by itself is no virtue; if we, however, look carefully at the parable we may discover much more.
Lazarus is at the gate and in utter poverty. And had he been cursing the richness of the man in the house, cursing his predicament, cursing his condition, he certainly would not have been escorted by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. It was, rather, his humility which saw him honoured. He did not covet the riches but what was needed for living. And I turn to myself and ask, “Do I covet what another has? Do I desire riches for myself? Do I long for sumptuous living?”
The rich man, in return, is full of pride. He believes he deserves his riches, they are the result in his own hard work, and so he likewise is able to spend them on giving himself an extravagant life. He knows the name of the man at the gate but does not believe him worthy of joining him at table. But in denying help to others, in denying serving others, he denies his very personhood—his name is not recorded in the Book of Life. It is not his riches which condemn him but his refusal of humility.
And I consider my own life and I must examine my life according to this measure, do I believe I have earnt the wealth I possess only by my own merit? Do I use what I have to serve others? Do I invite others to join in the blessings I have received?
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God is calling each and every one of us to act in a humble way, a God-like way, in whatever situation we find ourselves, because in doing so we become what we were created to be, truly human. And when we do so, we come ever closer to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and we will have our names written in the Book of Life and be with the Lord.
May this be our cause, our destiny, that being united to Christ we may come to true knowledge of the one God and Father by the power and operation of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.
— Galatians 1:11–19
The Lord said, “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazaros in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazaros to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazaros in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 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.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to them, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’
— Luke 16:19–31