onthly MeditationMeditation for June 2010
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Judith reads:
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is the 13th parable of Jesus unique to the Gospel of St. Luke and is found in Luke 16: 19 – 31. Quotations are from the New Living Translation.
The setting of this parable is a private house on a walled-in property with a gate. Living in the house was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. Outside the gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. The difference between these two people is vast—one is very rich, living in luxury, and nameless; the other is poor, sick, and named Lazarus, a Hebrew name meaning God will help.
In the end, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.
After their deaths, the roles of these two men were reversed. At last, Lazarus was being comforted after a lifetime of having nothing. The rich man, on the other hand, was in torment after a lifetime of having everything he wanted. However, I don't think that Lazarus was comforted simply because he had nothing in life nor was the rich man being tormented simply because he was rich while on earth.
Perhaps the torment that the rich man felt after death was the realization that through his riches he could have assisted Lazarus. It was not a sin to be rich if only he had used his wealth to help those at his gate who were in need.
Even now, after death, when the rich man could see the effects of his omissions in his lifetime, he still had a sense of entitlement that he should be helped out of his current situation by Lazarus who was now in a state of comfort. But Abraham pointed out that there was a great chasm separating them. This chasm was not just a geographical divide, but was one of difference in values and understanding of life.
Before the rich man could be relieved of his torments, he would have to change his attitude towards others and give up his expectancy that all his wants should be met without any thought towards those around him.
It is important to come to a realization of what we do to cause our own torments and anxieties; we cannot expect others to relieve us of our problems when we make no effort to help others. Each of us is rich in some part of life and in another part poor. Out of our riches, whether monetary or otherwise, we should help others; and in our poverty, whether financial or otherwise, we need to be patient and forgiving for the blindness of those who have the means to help us.
© Judith Lawrence, June 2010
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