Word to the Wise
Thursday, March 17, 2022 - 2nd Week of Lent - Thurs
[Jer 17:5-10 and Luke 16:19-31]"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and indeed sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.......[Luke]
The Gospel According to Luke has a number of parables that do not appear in the other gospels. I want to note four of them:The Good Samaritan [10:29-37], The Rich Fool [12:16-21], The Prodigal Son [15:11-32] and, for today's gospel scripture, the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus [16:19-31]. It could be a very useful Lenten observance to reflect on just these four! The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus gets my attention today.
Tradition gives a name to the Rich Man: DIVES, a word that means, in Latin, "rich!" The evangelist creates a strong contrast between Dives' life and Lazarus' life. That is easy to determine. What is more important is the "connection" or lack of one of Dives and Lazarus. Lazarus is at Dives' doorstep!! And Dives either does not see him or does not want to see him. Dives' lifestyle either prevents him from "seeing" Lazarus or Lazarus could be a living "threat" to all that Dives stands for! In either case, Dives does not respond to the plight of Lazarus, even to giving left-overs from the table. At least the dogs could lick Lazarus! The result of the failure of Dives to see Lazarus is a great "chasm" that is reflected in their respective ultimate destinations.
I have mentioned before the action of my Dominican brother and friend, Archbishop Thomas Kelly OP, of Louisville. He insisted that food and other assistance given at the Cathedral rectory be done at the front door and not at the back, so that the public would "see" the faces of the poor. Where is our "doorstep?" Who is sitting there? Do we know? If we do know, how do we respond? Is there a ditch that is growing into a chasm? These questions could be asked internationally, nationally and locally, but Lent offers us the chance to ask them PERSONALLY. As the parable teaches, these questions are of ultimate importance! AMEN