We are told that upon dying the rich man was taken to a place of torment. He then desired that a message be taken to his five brothers in order that they may be warned of what would await them in the life to come. To this Lazarus replied, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.”
In Luke’s Gospel we are told of Herod who had every opportunity to behold the Lord. He thus “was greatly perplexed because some were saying, ‘John has been raised from the dead’; others were saying, ‘Elijah has appeared’; still others ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
What is true in all these cases is that they were given every opportunity to open their heart to the truth, but they instead kept their heart hardened. According to Pope Francis “a heart becomes hardened (in) becoming closed inside oneself, making a world within oneself.”
The rich man did precisely this. He was caught up within himself and thus despite everything which was taking place around him was not moved to pity. He already came to experience the poverty of people like Lazarus, but he was not moved to pity. He had knowledge of the likes of Moses and the prophets, but he did not come to heed their word.
The rich man was much like Herod and all those who fail to love Christ and to be sent forth to serve Him in their thoughts, words, and deeds. Throughout history the prophets, Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist have pointed the way towards the coming of Christ. It is He was comes not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. All truth points its way towards Christ. Let us be moved towards that truth.
The name Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Eleazar. This name means, “God has helped.” This man and those like him come to be saved by God because they have opened their heart to Him and His mercy. Lazarus represents all of us who have come to be helped by God. May we come to open our heart in such a manner thus coming to heed all those who have pointed the way towards the coming of Christ.
In such a manner may we be concerned with Heaven and set out sight upon it. As Saint John Chrysostom had preached, “do not neglect the time of our earthly life, given to us by God’s kindness, for this is the opportunity for our salvation.” The rich man squandered this time while Lazarus took advantage of it.
Let us come to heed this Gospel and to be sent forth from here in order to be concerned with our salvation and that of the whole world. Let us be willing to remove from our midst all that keeps us from carrying out such a reality. For in the end we are called upon to strive to be saints in the Heavenly Kingdom.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.