RBWords

     Pope Francis has been using an expression that has caught some attention: "The globalization of indifference."  It refers to the way the world, especially the political and economic world, has turned its back on the poor, hungry and homeless in its relentless pursuit of wealth.  The loss and suffering of all these millions becomes simply a (regrettable?) consequence of economic success or political power grabs.  For those who are not directly involved, there is a kind of fatigue that sets in with the continual presentation of devastation in the media, which itself can be very selective in its choices of which disaster or suffering to mention.

     This "globalization of indifference" receives a dramatic portrayal in the Gospel of Luke in today's gospel scripture about the rich man and Lazarus.  If the rich man (whom tradition gives the name, Divas, which means rich) had any feelings at all about Lazarus on his doorstep, those feelings were of indifference.  The structures of his luxury would not permit any consciousness of a beggar at his door.  This portrayal is not just of an individual, but can be applied to all of human society.  The Gospel of Matthew (25:31-45) has the final judgment scene.  The Gospel of Luke has the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  One wonders what it takes to convince at least the Christians of the world about indifference?  For our brothers and sisters in the world of Judaism, there are Moses and the prophets.  For our brothers and sisters in Islam, there is the pillar of "zakat" - the care of the poor.  Why , then, is there a Lazarus at all?  AMEN