The Poor have so much to teach us

During your life time, if you are good to the poor - at the hour of death, you will not be afraid - St Vincent De Paul

Gospel text (Lk 16:19-31): Jesus said to the Pharisees, «Once there was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted every day. At his gate lay Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores, who longed to eat just the scraps falling from the rich man's table. Even dogs used to come and lick his sores.

»It happened that the poor man died and angels carried him to take his place with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From hell where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham afar off, and with him Lazarus at rest. He called out: ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus with the tip of his finger dipped in water to cool my tongue, for I suffer so much in this fire’. Abraham replied: ‘My son, remember that in your lifetime you were well-off while the lot of Lazarus was misfortune. Now he is in comfort and you are in agony. But that is not all. Between your place and ours a great chasm has been fixed, so that no one can cross over from here to you or from your side to us’.

»The rich man implored once more: ‘Then I beg you, Father Abraham, to send Lazarus to my father's house where my five brothers live. Let him warn them so that they may not end up in this place of torment’. Abraham replied: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them’. But the rich man said: ‘No, Father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent’. Abraham said: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the grave’».

Today, Jesus confronts us with social iniquity, the direct consequence of the growing inequality between rich and poor. But the situation is balanced when both die. And, it is now when the difference is reversed: one takes his place with Abraham; while the other, is simply buried.

The rich man kept Lazarus at a safe distance. He refused to reach out, to touch a very needy person. He also resisted being touched by the poor man. Here is just a simple statement. Every person I know who has been touched through their personal contact with the poor, in its many forms, is a deeper person for that contact. That depth has to do with the awareness of the more important values of life. Generally speaking one might notice that the rich are forced to live more on the surface where wealth is easily displayed. So then they are the poorer in spirit and in relationships. Lazarus had something of real worth to offer the rich man and when death came the transmission of Lazarus’ gifts became impossible. Maybe it is this: the less our hands are wrapped around things for our identity and meaning, the more they will be open and available for receiving and sharing. To receive is sacramental. To grasp, cling to, and protect as ultimate, is sacrilegious.

When the rich man ultimately reconciles himself to his fate during his discussion with Abraham, he then asks for help for his brothers, but Abraham tells him that his brothers have Moses and the prophets for enough guidance.

My friends, that “help” and that “voice” is the voice of the Church today - Are we listening!!!!!!

True wealth is getting to see God, and what we need, as St. Augustine asserted, is: «Walk with the poor man and you will reach God». May the "Lazarus" we encounter in our everyday life help us to find God.

Thought for the day: One day an American journalist commented, observing Mother Teresa as she tended a gangrenous patient: "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars!" "Neither would I," replied Mother Teresa, "but I do it for Christ."