Subject: Daily Gospel Reading - Thursday, February 28, 2013
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| Weekday Gospel Reflection |
| Thursday in the Second Week of Lent |
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Jesus said: 19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23 In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’ 29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’” |
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Luke 16:19-31 - World English Bible |
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In Luke 16, Jesus told the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. In the story, he portrayed both men as cultural caricatures: poor Lazarus, the victim of social inequity, and the rich man, the victor of that inequity. The caricatures of both men stood in stark contrast to cultural outlooks of the day; people despised the beggar and honored the well off. However, many in Luke's readership could identify with Lazarus since over 90% of those living in the Roman Empire were poor, while the five percent who had wealth accumulated it through heavy taxation and graft. One could understand the condemnation of the self indulgent rich man, but the fate of the poor man was puzzling. Jesus gave no indication the man believed in God or led a moral life; he received his reward simply based upon his destitution. No matter, since the Lord focused upon the plight of the rich man in the rest of the story. Twice the rich man begged "Father" Abraham (the term "father' denoted a respected social standing, not just a biological relationship). He pleaded for relief, once for himself, once for his family. Notice the attitude of the rich man towards Lazarus even in death; he treated the poor man, not as an equal, but as someone beneath him, like a servant to ordered about. "Have Lazarus come here to cool my tongue." "Send Lazarus to my brothers." Even in death, the rich man did not repent of his self-absorbed character. Abraham defended not only Lazarus from the selfish man, but defended the power of tradition found in Scripture ("Moses and the prophets" refer to the Hebrew texts of the Bible) and the Christian notion of that Scripture fulfilled: the Resurrection (neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.). The moral of the passage is clear. Everyone has what they need to live a faith-filled, moral life. The question is: will they?How are you like Lazarus in the story? How are you like the rich man? What will you do with that insight? |
| Daily Readings for the Second Week in Lent Studies for the Third Week in Lent |
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