Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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 persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'”

The rich man and the poor man

1) The rich man had luxuries and material wealth. The evangelist describes the things he had. How beautiful and majestic everything he owned was! He had riches to live with, but he did not really ‘live’. He held parties, but these were only to feed his narcissism, to mark his earthly power. He dressed to draw attention to himself and to differentiate himself from others. Today, you might be that kind of person. Do you always want to draw the attention of others with your comments or with your attitudes? Do you want to be right about everything? Do you always want to be in the spotlight? Be careful not to be smug, seeking to provoke others but then not accepting the consequences. It is easy to fall into vanity. Parties are fun, but many like fun as a form of escaping from reality. Do not fall into situations like these because it is very difficult to get out of them. You can get used to showing off, trying to be the focus of attention, but that is fleeting, and ends in nothing.

2) Poor Lazarus. The sores are our wounds. Today, perhaps you are like that poor man who has wounds that are raw and that make you bitter. You may be that person who seems out of place by the way he lives because he does not go out partying like so many others. Jesus said many times that we are in this world, but we don’t belong to this world. How many times do we say, “look at this one who is careless about life and yet look how well he is doing; and I on the other hand, try to live an honest life and all sorts of things happen to me.” Today God reminds you that we are all going to die and that sooner or later we will face a trial. Remember that the feast begins in Heaven, and it is eternal.

3) In eternity. We all know that there is heaven and hell, but it depends on us whether each day of our life is our heaven or our hell. Remember that you cannot make a mockery of your life; you should not turn everything into fun and jokes as if nothing will ever happen. You cannot live as if the world begins and ends in you. Life also involves really seeing those around you. Look around you because there are many Lazarus and many sores, many people who are hurting and who need you. You must also heal your sores and your life, take your life seriously. Life is beautiful! Live life with God, in God and for God, and I can assure you that your life will become a feast, a feast of Faith.

God bless you and keep you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Always remember, Heaven is our goal!