SCRIPTURE LUKE 16:19-31
the parable of the rich man and lazarus
There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined 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. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them. He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.
REFLECTION
Dives, the rich man, has all the material goods, rich food, elegant clothes, luxury home, all the material goods wealth can provide. Meanwhile, Lazarus, a poor beggar, has nothing but sores on his body and dogs who come and lick his sores for company. Lazarus is right there every day at his begging post. He can’t be missed by the rich man. Don’t you think he would reach out to Lazarus? How are we when we encounter one in need?
rich man and poor man died one into bosom of Abraham one into torment….There is life here on earth and life hereafter in the world to come. Part of our Creed is I believe in Life Everlasting. I know there are those that deny the resurrection. Their message is still as old as Eat, Drink, and be Merry for tomorrow you shall die. Epicurean is a Greek philosophy founded around 300 BC. Seek pleasure and avoid pain at all costs.
Jesus Crucified could not mean very much to them. Jesus is our Savior and if we persevere in imitating Jesus we will join Him in His glorious resurrection. The bosom of Abraham or torment awaits us. Which will it be?
There is a great chasm between heaven and hell so the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his family so they won’t end up in this place of torment. That is a nice sentiment but it is too late. All the warnings are already there in Moses and the prophets. But the rich man begs but if someone goes from the dead they will repent. Repentance is a good thing but we have a lifetime to repent that door closes at earthly death.
A nice irony to conclude the parable is when Abraham tells the rich man neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead. Of course he speaks of Jesus our risen Lord. How true is that even to this day! Even with the salvation story clearly laid out from Old to New Testament people choose to ignore at their own peril.
SCRIPTURE LUKE 17:1-4
temptations, sinning, forgiving
He said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur.t would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard!*
If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.
“Temptation” by St. Louis Artist Larry Kozuszek 2017
Jigger tempts Billy Bigelow into robbery (Musical Carousel)
REFLECTION
In the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us, there is a petition, lead us not into temptation. I always paused and grappled with it because something just didn’t seem right. God never tempts us. God allows temptation as a way to grow in grace and self-discovery…to teach us to know ourselves…to discover our evil inclinations and to give thanks for the graces that helped us avoid the sin that temptation has revealed to us.
Temptations are not sins but temptations can and often do lead to sin. I am asking God to keep me from temptations that I am particularly vulnerable and may likely result in my actually sinning. .
Jesus tells his disciples there are things in this world that can lead to sin but woe to one that causes another to sin. better a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin, Parents be particularly cautious to give good examples and most especially never, never, cause one of your little ones to sin.
Jesus also teaches that we have a duty to correct our brethren who is leading others into sin or teaching false doctrine rather than nod our head indicating whatever. Also, when someone sins against you, you must forgive. The Lord’s Prayer again, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
SCRIPTURE LUKE 17:7-10
attitude of a servant.of the lord
Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.
REFLECTION
This Scripture at first read, for modern folks like us is kind of tough. We have been through slavery in our past and still remnants of racial/class discrimination. So we must go back to Jesus’ time and understand there were set societal rules of a household. Those who owned property and those who worked for them.
A servant or laborer was not necessarily mistreated but had a subordinate place. The servant’s role was well defined. So as the master of the house would say fix my dinner and when I am finished you sit down and eat even if he had been laboring in the field. The servant is provided lodging and wages and security for his family.
While most of us do not have servants today, Jesus’ final message rings true for us as well, So When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.
We too are unprofitable servants. All that we have, all that we possess has been given by God as gift.
What thanks, praise, do we return to such a great God! God needs us for nothing. We need God for everything!
SCRIPTURE LUKE 17:11-19
the cleansing of ten lepers.*
As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met [him]. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us! And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”*
As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.
REFLECTION
The lepers cried out, Jesus, Master! Have pity on us! And when Jesus saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests. Leprosy was not only an awful and painful disease, it separated lepers from their families and their worship in the temple,
Jesus could have done and said anything as we have seen with other miraculous cures. In this case instead of saying your faith has saved you, he chose to test their faith by asking them to go and show themselves to the priest and be received back into communion with God in worship.
One of them, on his way, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. Why just one? Well, isn’t it true today as well that we go about our agenda with hardly reflecting on God’s providence-God’s intervention in our lives? Let’s give thanks daily to the God who is all good and loves us even to death on the cross. God cares for us. Do we care for God!
There is also irony in this Scripture reading. The one returning leper is a Samaritan, a foreigner, not one of the chosen people. Jesus tells the Samaritan, Stand up and go; your faith has saved you. Here Jesus makes clear to us we can’t presume salvation just because we are Catholic or Christians, for that matter. As James puts it in his epistle, Faith without works is dead! Actions express our faith as the returning Samaritan demonstrates. Let us not only be hearers of the word but doers as well!