Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

By: Sister Melissa Gernon

Opening Prayer

Dear Lord, You who are rich became poor to set an example before us so that by Your poverty we may become rich in the salvation of Your cross. Continue to lavish us with Your truth and grace that we may be set free.

Reading

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 in 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 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 and 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

Jesus tells this parable so that followers of Christ understand that how we treat the poor and marginalized has eternal consequences. One of a person’s greatest desires is to be treated with dignity. Yet, many poor people are overlooked, passed over, and left to the side of the road, watching the world pass by.

It is not lost on me that even in death, the rich man is trying to assert his power and control by demanding that Abraham tell Lazarus to serve him. He continues to try to ignore the dignity of Lazarus as a person deserving of the riches of eternal life. It is also not lost on me that the rich man is not named. How ironic it is that today, I know many of the names of the richest people on earth, and yet so many of the poorest are nameless, except, of course, to Jesus.

This story is not meant to be about the disparities of wealth in our world, but about the compassion that is expected of us to be followers of Christ. Even the dogs in this passage showed compassion to Lazarus. Kindness, compassion, and mercy are gifts freely given to me so that I may provide them to others. If my goal is to get to heaven, I must act as Jesus did. The Lazaruses of our world are not hard to find. I just need to open my heart and my eyes. I need to SEE with the eyes and heart of Jesus, and I need to respond with compassion that is worthy of eternal life.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me the eyes to see as Jesus did so that I may become more compassionate towards Your people. Help me to love tenderly and act justly so that I may walk humbly with You into eternal life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Welcoming the Holy