The Rich Man and Lazarus

[Craig_W]

The scripture reading from this past Sunday Mass (Sept 26), included Luke 16:19-31. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus touched me more profoundly than ever before and has led me to think about who may be the “Lazarus” in my own life. What steps would you take if you suddenly realized there was a “Lazarus” in your life, and you were the “Rich Man”?

I know I should not be amazed after all this time, but isn’t it wonderful how God loves us enough to reach down and touch us even when we truly do not deserve it? I suppose one could look at it as both a blessing and a stern warning. I know I do.

Do we all have a “Lazarus” in our lives?

Craig

 

[GEddie]

The scripture reading from this past Sunday Mass (Sept 26), included Luke 16:19-31. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus touched me more profoundly than ever before and has led me to think about who may be the “Lazarus” in my own life. What steps would you take if you suddenly realized there was a “Lazarus” in your life, and you were the “Rich Man”?

I know I should not be amazed after all this time, but isn’t it wonderful how God loves us enough to reach down and touch us even when we truly do not deserve it? I suppose one could look at it as both a blessing and a stern warning. I know I do.

Do we all have a “Lazarus” in our lives?

Craig

I’d say we will each see more than one in the course of our human life. And they may not necessarily be financially poor, either, but have a need in some other way, that we are called on to minister to.

Remember, the RM was not blamed for failing to help a poor person in another city; Lazarus was right at his doorstep; but the RM, though knowing him (enough to recognize him from Hell!) did not see him as a human being in need. Seeing is done through one’s eyes, but with one’s mind. So it doth behooveth each of us to pray to the Holy Spirit, that our minds may see the need we can meet when “Lazarus” comes across our path.

ICXC NIKA.

 

[dailey]

This story really touched me too. I felt compassion for the RM and hoped he was in purgatory, as opposed to hell.

There is a really loooong thread going on about the The Rich Man and Lazarus here on CAF. I was skimming over the thread to see what the conclusion was (whether or not the RM was in hell). I read something interesting the other day…it said if you are in hell you are unable to feel compassion and such. So wouldn’t that mean the Rm was not there?

 

[GEddie]

This story really touched me too. I felt compassion for the RM and hoped he was in purgatory, as opposed to hell.

There is a really loooong thread going on about the The Rich Man and Lazarus here on CAF. I was skimming over the thread to see what the conclusion was (whether or not the RM was in hell). I read something interesting the other day…it said if you are in hell you are unable to feel compassion and such. So wouldn’t that mean the Rm was not there?

Where is that thread; sounds interesting

I’ve heard this about compassion in Hell; if true this would indeed suggest strongly that RM was in Purgatory; however, I am not certain if it is true. Bear in mind, 99.9 percent of what is written about Hell is pure sensationalism rather than faith. Those in Hell remain human beings and, as such, maintain their human propensities, though in a deformed state.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Craig_W]

I’d say we will each see more than one in the course of our human life. And they may not necessarily be financially poor, either, but have a need in some other way, that we are called on to minister to.

Remember, the RM was not blamed for failing to help a poor person in another city; Lazarus was right at his doorstep; but the RM, though knowing him (enough to recognize him from Hell!) did not see him as a human being in need. Seeing is done through one’s eyes, but with one’s mind. So it doth behooveth each of us to pray to the Holy Spirit, that our minds may see the need we can meet when “Lazarus” comes across our path.

ICXC NIKA.

You and I are sharing similar thoughts on this. “Need” does not always relate to money, that’s for sure. My wife and I have had some intersting discussion together since Sunday. She points out that we must be wary about those who are just taking advantage of us, but I am not always able to discern who is truly in need from the phoney. I guess I am gullible.

CRaig

 

[dconklin]

Sometimes we are the Lazarus and this scripture can give us hope. It also works to remind us to pray the RMs.

 

[GloriousOrder]

My wife and I have had some intersting discussion together since Sunday. She points out that we must be wary about those who are just taking advantage of us, but I am not always able to discern who is truly in need from the phoney. I guess I am gullible.

It’s pretty difficult to be gullible when you see a man who is feebly swatting away a dog that’s licking his festering wounds! We can usually be safely sure that that sort of person is in dire, Lazarus-like need. One problem with contemporary society with regards to Christian morality is the simple fact of Universal Health Care. Do not see this as a political attack, but a moral question: how can human beings improve in humility and charity for the sick and poor, when all the sick and poor are “being taken care of”? The regular people just blow charity off, because “the government will take care of the poor”. At least the Rich Man could not be accused of handing his responsibility to the government…

As for myself, the moment I saw my first homeless person a few years ago (yes, I am a hermit), I felt an intense sorrow. This was a human being, not just an outstretched hand holding a hat, begging for change. Before I had even heard of Lazarus, I was reading our Lord’s other teachings. He did not advocate social justice; rather, He was simply trying to get us to see the glory of other human beings. We “worship” our fellow men (in the Old Testament sense) by falling down and revering the fact that God Himself made them, who have the same joy as us when hearing music, when eating food, or when seeing a beautiful park on a fall afternoon. These queer beings we cannot experience outside our five senses are somehow exactly equal to us in worth!

"The hardest thing in theology to believe is that All Men Matter’, as Fr. Brown said. We do not help the Lazaruses around us (and there are many… so many) because “God said so”, but because they are human beings, the holiest creations below angels. Each one of us was “built for God”, but the batteries have not been included since The Fall; however, the batteries for each failed machine are up in Heaven, so we need to revere the toy which was made in God’s own holy image. Even if you cannot go to a homeless shelter to serve, at least get to know the names of Homeless you pass by regularly, or see from time to time. I know, from my own experience in a Homeless program, that they are so, so, so happy just to have their name remembered, to know that they are not forgotten by the world. This happiness always brings them back to God, in the end…

 

[mytruepower2]

I’d say we will each see more than one in the course of our human life. And they may not necessarily be financially poor, either, but have a need in some other way, that we are called on to minister to.

Remember, the RM was not blamed for failing to help a poor person in another city; Lazarus was right at his doorstep; but the RM, though knowing him (enough to recognize him from Hell!) did not see him as a human being in need. Seeing is done through one’s eyes, but with one’s mind. So it doth behooveth each of us to pray to the Holy Spirit, that our minds may see the need we can meet when “Lazarus” comes across our path.

ICXC NIKA.

I couldn’t agree more.

There are some people who claim that it’s not their job to take care of others. They, I think, are like the rich man.

There are other people who say that no matter what they do, they can’t care for everyone who needs help. They, I think, are missing the point.

The purpose of Catholic Church teaching on the subject of charity for the poor, and for those in need is not to “fix the world.” Jesus himself tells us that this is impossible by human efforts, and we’ve seen that a lot in recent history. The purpose, rather, is to demonstrate love, or some other virtue. Charity is as much, if not more for ourselves than for others, because it teaches us the love of God.

Unfortunately, I think people in this century have put too much faith in organized charities. Oh, it’s good to give to charities, of course, and it’s convenient, and it helps people in other countries in the short term, but what does it teach us about love? We had money, we give it up, and we never once see the person we’re helping.

Personally, I think that there is more love in helping someone carry groceries, or taking care of your friend’s baby for an afternoon, so she can cover an extra shift at work, or teaching a good friend more about the sacraments, so that they can see the great beauty of them to a greater degree.

This is the kind of thing I think of.