1. Dives and Lazarus.
Scriptures usually does not mention the names of people who go to hell but mentions those who go to heaven. Thus the Gospel mentions Lazarus but does not give the name of the rich man. Tradition just gave him the name Dives. Though all through the Gospel he is referred to as ‘the rich man.’
The Gospel described a rich man and the poor man named Lazarus. The rich man was enjoying himself feasting while Lazarus, full of wounds, was outside the rich man’s door sick and hungry. The Gospel saw to it that the two can see each other. Because the rich man saw Lazarus and did not react the Catholic way, he was condemned. Because the poor man Lazarus saw the rich man and reacted the true Catholic way to his situation, he was saved.
2. The rich man.
The rich was not condemned for being rich, nor for wearing purple and linen, nor for his feasting. The Roman Cornelius was rich, holy bishops wear purple and linen and saints do go feasting. St. Benedict feasted in his cave on Easter. And we are told to celebrate Christmas and Easter. But it is the attitude with which we celebrate that is important. We will see this attitude a little later.
So, what did the rich man do that made him deserving of landing in hell? Not so much that he was feasting, but that he did not share his crumbs or left over with Lazarus. Or the more Christian thing to do is to invite him at table.
The rich man saw Lazarus. He had no excuse that he did not know someone was at his door step hungry. He saw him, and the
Gospel is emphatic on that. In fact, they saw each other. St. Thomas
even noted that Lazarus was known around as a beggar and so the rich man should know he was that same beggar begging around and is now by his door.
The Christian corporal work of mercy is to feed the hungry with your own hands, in your own table, with the same food prepared for you and if possible by you. And Abraham did that. The least you can do is imitate the pagans by feeding them from your scraps or left overs.
Uh…..Pope Francis’ work of mercy to take care of the environment is totally out of the picture on the works of mercy. That is not an act of mercy; considering that Pope Francis’ concept of mercy is not Catholic as defined in the Beatitudes.
The rich man did not even act like the pagans; not even obeying the Old Testament command. He did not feed him nor attend to his wounds. To show the superiority of dogs to the rich man, the Gospel says that, at least, the dogs went to lick his wounds. What charity…..from a dog.
The evangelical rule is; when you disobey one command of God you disobey all the commands; according to St. James. Having disobeyed the command to feed the hungry in a Catholic way, because remember this is a New Testament Gospel, he enjoyed life the sinful way. He was feasting selfishly, a way by which he was rewarding himself.
His sin is not the feasting. His sin is that he was rewarding himself here on earth with enjoyments. Whatever good he had done, he should not reward himself here on earth. Why? Because Christ said so. All rewards are due in heaven. He who is rewarded here on earth will not be rewarded in heaven because he has been rewarded already. He, in his feasting, have rewarded himself for things that does not need any reward, like rewarding himself for his pride, his sins, for his accomplishments and for pleasing people. That is obviously over rewarding himself.
The rich man was condemned on two counts; first, for not obeying the command to feed the hungry. And secondly, for having over rewarding himself on earth, maybe for some good he did but most of often for doing nothing. On two counts he did not deserve to go to heaven; thus he went to hell.
3. The poor man Lazarus.
Lazarus did not have anything to reward himself with. That was a blessing. Whatever good he had done had remained unrewarded. He deserved to be rewarded in the life after.
He, also, bore his sufferings taking them willingly as his punishments here on earth for whatever sin he might have committed. He owed God nothing. So on two counts he deserved to go to heaven.
4. How to enjoy prosperity.
Yes, saints wore purple and linens; they feasted. But they, also, fed beggars and suffered with Christ. Queen Blanche took care of beggars and King Louis of France suffered much during the Crusade. St. Francis of Assisi, also, suffered as a prisoner and took care of lepers. Saints did both.
But how did the saints wear their nice clothing and crowns; and how did they feast? The NEVER considered all the nice things they received in life as a reward for their good deeds.
The saints never expected a reward from God here on earth. Yes, they expected nice things from God; but not as a reward. At least, not yet. Eternal life was the only thing they expected from God and not as a reward but as a merciful gift from God.
Saints consider all their good works as works of God accomplished through them. So they do not expect to be rewarded for them because these works were God’s accomplishments.
Saints are fearful in thinking, even for a moment, that what they have received is a reward for something they have done. Because to expect a reward from God or to reward oneself for something done by the self is a sign of pride; i.e. that we, on our own, have done something good without God’s help. That is the heresy of Pelagianism.
Enjoy all the good things God give you; from the purple, the linen, the festive food. But look at them as undeserving gifts from a good God for you to share with family, friends and the poor (but without inviting the hungry migrants settle in your back yard)…..and never believe that you can do anything good without God being its author and, therefore, we have no valid reason to deserve a reward here on earth. Nor in heaven. Because heaven is also a gift…..not a reward.
If you are not convinced of this, ok….reward yourself……and except nothing in the next life. Because you have been rewarded already.
5. The world is a vast rich man.
In Scriptures, the rich man is not the person rich in resources. The centurion Cornelius was a man rich in resources. He used all his resources in maintaining the Church in his house. He was a saint dignified by a visit from St. Peter.
The rich condemned by Christ is the man ‘rich in spirit.’ This is contrary to the ‘poor in spirit,’ praised in the first Beatitude. So, who is the rich condemned by Christ and represented by the rich man? He is the man who have many worldly and sinful desires. Satisfying his desires is the way he constantly rewards himself; so he rewards himself for the good he had done, the sins he has done
and for doing nothing. Thus,’ Scriptures wrote, he feasted daily.’
The mode of life in the whole world today consists in people constantly rewarding themselves. They even have to conquer other nations, kill head states, dislodge established governments to reward themselves with the conquered resources. Imagine, they want to kill the head of Syria, destroy that nation and massacre its people using mercenaries financed and armed by the US and its coalition, what for? So they can reward themselves with a pipeline across Syria that can earn millions. See what rich men can do? That’s why like the rich man, they land in hell. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.’ Seeing what horrid and unimaginable things they can do, they really deserve hell. Sometimes, we are grateful there is a hell. Imagine these rich men sitting down by side with you in heaven when you know what they have done? Heaven would be hell.
6. Year of Justice and year of Mercy.
This Gospel speaks, firstly, about the Justice of God. And secondly, about the Mercy of God. In God, Justice and Mercy go together. Remove Justice and we have a fake mercy called tolerance of evil.
What did God show the rich man? Pure Justice. Justice without a trace of Mercy. And what did God show Lazarus? Mercy because God saw that Lazarus had fulfilled His Justice. If Lazarus had not fulfilled the Justice of God, God would not show him mercy.
How did Lazarus satisfy the Justice of God? By bearing his hunger, suffering and his sores. Having satisfied God’s Justice, he received His Mercy. That is a rule for all.
During this Year of Mercy, keep in mind that we must first satisfy the Justice of God by a ‘life of Repentance’ before we can receive the Mercy of God. Passing through those silly doors put up in parishes and dioceses will not earn you God’s Mercy; no line in Scriptures says so. You have to be like Lazarus; just waiting by the gate without a whimper. Just waiting. Bearing your hunger, misery and sores. With only the consolation of a dog licking the wounds of your souls. Because you know you are a sinner and deserve all these. And you saying; ‘I do not deserve any thing or any reward from God. Bearing these sufferings, I, only, pray that God have mercy on me and bring me to Abraham’s bosom.
Just be a Lazarus. You won’t need a ‘Year of Mercy’ and those doors to receive the Mercy of God. The Gospel says so.
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