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.'”
Very fine linen
1. Lazarus. It’s interesting to notice that the rich man remains unnamed, while the poor man is called Lazarus. Perhaps this suggests that the rich man could represent any one of us. When life is focused solely on accumulating wealth or constantly wanting more, you risk losing your sense of self. You sacrifice your identity for possessions, things that will eventually be taken from you anyway, no matter what.
2. Fulfillment. Whenever things are uncertain, anxiety and worry tend to creep in. Overthinking leads to restlessness. That’s why it’s important not to spend your life worrying about what might happen, what others might do to you, or waiting for someone else to change your circumstances. Avoid becoming a ‘life-beggar’—someone who waits for others to solve their problems or make decisions for them. Take ownership of your life, pursue the future you desire, and write your own story.
3. Warn them. Eventually, everything catches up to you in life, and every decision brings consequences. That’s why you should never say ‘never’—because someday you might end up needing help from the person you least expect. Make it a habit to help others while you can and recognize that everyone has something to contribute. Don’t be so arrogant as to believe you can do everything alone. Time has a way of revealing reality: the person you least expect may be the one who helps you, and the one you trust most might disappoint you. Life moves in one direction; sometimes people judge you based only on what you own instead of looking at your heart, discovering who you truly are, and understanding the happiness you seek.”
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
