Lazarus and Whatz his name
Live Audio File
5th Sun of Luke Oct. 22, 2023, Luke 16: 19-31;
What a study in the contrast between heavenly and earthly success, we are given today! That which the world teaches us is of supreme importance was achieved by this nameless rich man. He wore the finest clothes and lived and ate “sumptuously,” to excess, every day. Great word, really describes the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Is that our goal? To live the “sumptuous” dream? I’m sure the rich man had a great funeral, and everyone knew of his passing. “Great guy old whatz his name.” We aren’t even told this name, simply “He died and was buried.” No “memory eternal” being sung here.
In contrast we are introduced to Lazarus who had to be “laid” at the gate of the rich man by his friends, as he was paralyzed and covered in sores. He received more comfort from the affection given from the local dogs than from the rich man. He would have been grateful for the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yet, we know his name, Lazarus means, “God is my help.” His memory is eternal, remembered by God and Christians for 2000 years now! When Lazarus died, he was met by the angels who joyously escorted him to Abraham’s bosom.
In today’s gospel we hear this dead and suffering rich man begging Fr. Abraham across an uncrossable divide between Paradise and Hades, to send Lazarus to him to ease his suffering. He is still looking to be served. “Bring me a drop of water… Go to my brothers.” Abraham lays out the paradoxical truth of the kingdom. While alive on earth, Lazarus was homeless, hated, scorned, and reviled, suffered many evils, no doubt with many tears. He was in other words “most blessed” according to the beatitudes we sing in the 3rd. Antiphon every Sunday. (Luke 6: 20-23) “Blessed are you when you are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded.” For so suffered the Prophets. Great is your reward in heaven.” The Rich man had received many good things. He was now receiving the “woes” that follow the blessed be’s in the beatitudes (Luke 6: 24-26). “Woe to you who are: rich, full, laughing, admired. You have received your consolation.” He was rich and full, and so he would now be poor and hungry. He laughed, had been admired by men and filled with vain glory, and so now he would mourn and weep. We see that our lives continue far beyond the boundary of our death,and that the true purpose of our short lives here on planet earth is for us to prepare for our place in the everlasting kingdom of God.
When Lazarus was laid at the gate of the rich man, it was meant to be of benefit to the suffering Lazarus, but to be of even more value to the poor rich man, who was desperately poor in the eternal riches of the kingdom of God. This hapless rich man doubtlessly walked by Lazarus several times daily as he came and went through his gate. Probably the first few times he considered doing something, “Later when I’m not so busy.” Later, the devil’s favorite word! But soon he hardly even noticed him as he stepped around him. Failure to act on our good intentions causes our hearts to crust over and become more insensitive. The time to act is always NOW, upon realizing what God would have us do. St. Isaac the Syrian says, “The great sin is our lack of sensitivity to sin.”
When hearing a parable, it is helpful to identify with one of the characters. In this prosperous country, most of us obviously resemble the rich man in this parable far more than we resemble Lazarus. The poor and the suffering are a great gift to us who have the means to help them. We can trade in a few quite worthless dollars that we often squander frivolously, and receive in return everlasting heavenly riches that are completely safe from thieves and inflation. St. John Chrysostom in explaining the immense value of almsgiving says “For there is nothing more profitable than this trade and traffic. It is preformed on earth, but is completed in heaven….But it is not the amount of money given that can purchase heavenly things, but the disposition of the giver, as is shown by the gain of the widow who with her two mites gave more than all the rest.” Christ Himself says earlier in this chapter (Luke 16:9) “…make friends for yourself with unrighteous money, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.” This is a great and eternally secure investment converting “unrighteous money” into true riches.
For those of us who have wealth, it is not really ours; it is not given but rather lent to us from God. We can take none of it with us when we die – except for what we have given away to those God-granted opportunities we acted upon while alive. Our wealth is not given us to use to live sumptuous lives. Its purpose is to allow us the blessed opportunity be good stewards of that which the Father has entrusted us, for the benefit of others as they receive from us, and for our eternal benefit as we give. We are told by Christ and St. Paul, (Acts 20:35) “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Wealth is perhaps the greatest test of what is most important to us. We see in today’s parable, the result of not understanding this, or worse still, of understanding but not acting upon our understanding. The rich man remains horribly impoverished in true heavenly riches, as he chose to not meet the physical poverty needs of Lazarus his “houseguest,” when he could have easily done so. If only the rich man had understood and acted upon this God-given opportunity, Lazarus would have been at the front of the line welcoming him into Abraham’s bosom and extolling his great generosity. He would have heard from God, “Well done my faithful servant.” What a wasted opportunity.
God is always bringing us these wonderful opportunities, laying Lazarus’ at the gate of our lives for our benefit. But of course, the choice is always ours, as to whether we close our eyes and step over them, or recognize them, act, and benefit eternally.God has given each of us the great gift of free will, but He does not interfere or pre-ordain our actions in any way. Our knowledge and good intentions are of no use unless they cause us to act. Our actions, in synergy with the ever-present grace of God, cause us to grow into the “likeness of God,” and adoption into life with Jesus Christ.
The main question we should be asking ourselves today as we hear this gospel reading today is, Who are the Lazarus’s in our lives? Some are not hard to spot. We meet many every week at our Monday morning breakfast living right here among us that are homeless like Lazarus, But many others are less visible, suffering in isolation, shut ins without family support. Those living in senior centers who never get visitors. Those ill and lonely in care centers or hospitals, or in palliative care, facing death without family or friends. New immigrants who are isolated as they can not yet speak English. Sadly, even members of our immediate families can be our Lazarus whom we step around and don’t really notice.. Our children or perhaps our spouse, waiting for some one-on-one time with us, but we are too busy. Later we’ll have more time. Perhaps our parents or grandparents, or an elderly aunt or uncle, who would just love to hear from us a little more. Our neighbors. Most of us are very busy, it is the main affliction of our lifestyles. But even just committing to intentionally put aside two or three hours a week, cutting out a couple TV shows perhaps, to attend to the Lazarus who is most in need in our lives right now is a step towards the kingdom of heaven. There are many organizations that would love to introduce you to your Lazarus here in Cranbrook. May God led you to them. What joy awaits us at our death – our entrance into true life – if we have used our time here on this short visit to planet earth to seek the kingdom of God. What horror and regret, wailing and gnashing of teeth will be ours, if we frivolously pursue only a better earthly life – selfishly striving to live “sumptuously.” Let us learn from this sobering gospel lesson to act quickly to seize the opportunities God provides us for our salvation! May God grant us to recognize our Lazarus, laying at our gates.