Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Mary said in the Magnificat: “(The Lord) has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”
Today Jesus tells a parable that makes this abundantly clear.
The rich man, sometimes known as “Dives”, dies and is left in the poverty of hell. The poor man, Lazarus, dies and enjoys the abundance of heaven.
Why this reversal of fortunes for the rich man? Because he failed to take care of the man in need just outside his door. He failed to be a good neighbor to Lazarus, “who would have gladly eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.” Jesus says of this poor man, “Dogs even used to come and lick his sores” (i.e. dogs treated this man better than humans did!).
Can we take care of everyone? No. But there is always someone in need that we can comfort. There is always some extra change in our pockets to help provide for food in our hunger centers. There is always something that we can do to help. And, if we do it together, we can even begin to change this world to be more like the Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed.
How do we begin? By seeing and not ignoring the needs of the poor person, or any person in need, the person who is grieving, the person who needs us — who is waiting just outside our door.
We respect, assist, and offer comfort to the lives of those who show us the suffering face of Christ. Christ rose from the dead and we have every hope that in doing what the Lord has commanded, in loving as he has loved us in our own poverty, we will also, one day, rise from the dead.
Have a blessed week everyone.