Keep the poor in your sight
Listening the Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Listening the Word: 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.'"
Reflection
The Gospel of this Sunday strikes us because of the contrast between Lazarus and the rich man and how they shifted positions. After a life of pleasure and excess, the rich man became a beggar, asking for mercy for himself and for his family, and the fate that awaited them. In the parable Abraham tells the rich man: “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.” (Lk 16:25) However, the point is not in suffering first so that we can enjoy later, or sacrifice ourselves so that we can have peace in heaven. Jesus himself, during his ministry, brought relief to many sick, lame, blind, and sinful people. The important aspect that Jesus underlines is to listen to Moses and the prophets.
Moses was the mediator between God and his people and brought liberation to Israel from the oppression in Egypt. As great as the role that Moses may sound, he was mostly not obeyed by the people he was guiding in the desert. In the same way, the prophets, who were bearers of the Word of God and the voice of the poor, were not only unheard but also persecuted by the people of God. This is because it is uncomfortable to listen to God; we want to have peace of mind while doing our business.
It may sound too much to “fight” Moses and the prophets, and that is why we mostly choose only to ignore them, as we do with the poor. Maybe not at the scale of governments that, before important international events, “clear” the streets and squares of homeless and beggars, still, we look the other way. Sometimes we put the blame on them, their efforts, their lack of virtues, and underline their vices as if we were free of them.
Jesus invites us to open our eyes and notice the poor, their needs, and their struggle. Jesus invites us to have mercy on them, to help them, and to be one with them. After all, if we want to enter a house, we need to ask the owner for permission, and Jesus taught us: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Lk 6, 20)
We still hear the echo of Jesus' invitation from last week, to use the means of this world that we have, so that we may gain friends who will welcome us into eternal dwellings. (Lk 16, 9)
Almighty God, have mercy on us, open our eyes so that we may recognize you in the poor and extend our hand to lift you up and welcome you into our home.
Reflection Questions
- How do I respond when I encounter the poor in my daily life—do I notice them with compassion, or do I choose to look the other way?
- In what concrete ways can I listen to “Moses and the prophets” today, by allowing God’s Word to challenge my comfort and move me toward mercy and solidarity with those in need?
