Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Jesus gives us the parable of the rich man (with no name) and the poor man (whose name is Lazarus). The rich man had it good in this life, but he was blind to the need of Lazarus who was sitting outside his door, wishing for the scraps to come from the rich man’s table – they never came. Dogs were better at giving comfort to Lazarus than the rich man was. At least the dogs licked his sores.
But God turned the tables. God casts down the mighty and lifts up the lowly. For after both men had died, it is the formerly rich man who is looking for some water in the “netherworld” while Lazarus was feasting at the eternal banquet in the kingdom.
The rich man begged Abraham to send a warning to his five brothers to change their lives, so that they would repent of their selfishness, and be generous to those in need as he should have been. At least he had a heart and wanted to save his brothers from the torment he was experiencing.
But Jesus knows how difficult it is for some people to change the direction of their lives. Here is how Jesus ended the parable: “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” People who don’t want to change can be pretty stubborn. And after the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, these five brothers most likely remained resolute in opposition to his teaching of compassion, mercy and love.
Are we persuaded to be more generous in love and less selfish by the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead? Are we persuaded by the same risen Jesus who said that we will be judged in the next life according to our treatment of one another in this life?