Lenten Journey 2011

God of love, bring us back to you. Send your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works. Amen

Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “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 persuadedif someone should rise from the dead.’“

Luke talks in his gospel about great reversals. Those who are rich in this world’s goods are cursed and those who are poor are blessed. We understand it is not the wealth or lack of it that makes a person blessed or cursed but it is the object of one’s trust. Luke never waters down Jesus’ teaching that the rich are cursed and the poor are blessed. We know nothing about Lazarus except that he was poor. Did he trust in God? The text does not say. On the other hand, we know plenty about the rich man. He dresses in the very best, dines sumptuously each day, steps over a poor man who lies at his door, yet will not even give him scraps to eat. The dogs are more merciful than he is. Yet, after both die the great reversal occurs. The rich man is cursed and the poor man is blessed. The man who would not even give a scrap of food to Lazarus is denied the tip of Lazarus’ finger dipped in cool water and placed upon his tongue. He is rewarded based on the merits of his deeds. In this torment he thinks of his brothers and believes that they will repent and turn to God if someone goes back to them from the dead. This request, too, is denied. God knows the human heart. If the rich man’s brothers will not believe Moses and the prophets, why would they believe someone who is raised from the dead?

We know Jesus and that he is risen from the dead! But are we persuaded to trust in him? The cursed simply will not. But blessed are they who hope and trust in the Lord!!

Loving God, we hear your invitation, "Come back to us" and fill us with such a longing to return to you. Show us the way to return. Lead us this day to do good works in your name and send your Spirit to guide us and strengthen our faith. We ask only to feel your love in our lives today. Amen