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Greetings, SBT Readers!
"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.'" Lk 16:31
At the beginning of Elie Wiesel's Night, Moishe the Beadle tries to warn the Jewish residents of Sighet of the horrors to come; sadly, instead of listening to him, the people dismiss his accounts of Nazi atrocities as the ravings of a madman:
"I have been saved miraculously. I managed to get back here. Where did I get the strength from? I wanted to come back to Sighet to tell you the story of my death. So that you could prepare yourselves while there was still time… I wanted to come back, and to warn you. And see how it is, no one will listen to me…"
Perhaps it is human nature not to believe the unpleasant. In today's gospel, the rich man and his five brothers have certainly ignored all the warnings of the prophets regarding their obligations to the poor. They feast on fat foods and rich wines, reclining on their ivory couches, while Lazarus starves at their gates. Today, "Lazarus" is omnipresent but we are often too blind to see his reflection and too deaf to hear the warnings of the prophets of our age who point to environmental catastrophe, economic collapse and general mayhem-- all of which will create further "Lazaruses." He can already be seen living on city streets or in caravans of weary migrants, in refugee camps and make-shift shelters. He is to be found amongst the refugees fleeing Ukraine and the Russians trying to escape the draft, amongst the flood victims of Pakistan and those who survived the floods of Appalachia, amongst those battling unbearable heat waves and those whose businesses were destroyed by the pandemic...
May we learn to SEE Lazarus in all his misery, resisting the temptation to close our eyes. And may what we see not only awaken compassion but lead to action!
Many Blessings!
Elizabeth
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to the Sunday Readings
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a certain rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, angels carried him to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he looked up 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 agony in these flames.'
Lk 16:19-31
"Send Lazarus." Even in death, the rich man clings to class and status, even using the imperative when addressing Abraham. He simply fails to understand that death is the great equalizer, ending all claims to privilege. In his mind, Lazarus is still a beggar whose only purpose is to serve the needs of his "betters." Nor does he understand that there has been a great reversal -- that he who once had everything is now the most pitiable of human beings while Lazarus who had nothing in life is enjoying his heavenly reward. Abraham rebukes him, explaining that there is a "great chasm" separating heaven and hell, with no bridge to cross over from one side to the next. "Well, send Lazarus to my five brothers then!" Still, the rich man fails to comprehend. For him, Lazarus is still no more than a member of the underclass who can be sent here, there, and everywhere, without any say in the matter. Abraham again rebukes him: Having ignored the teachings of Moses and the prophets, the rich man and his five brothers will suffer the consequences for eternity.
The rich man and Lazarus are, of course, archetypes; that is, they are representatives of universally repeating patterns of being: the rich man belongs to the class of "haves" while Lazarus belong to the class of "have nots." These archetypes appear in the myths, sacred stories and folk tales of every culture; they are also evident in social structures across the globe. As such, they can represent individuals (as for example, a king and a pauper) or groups of people (as for example, ancient Egyptians and the enslaved Hebrew people). Biblically speaking, we know that God has a "preferential option for the poor" and that we, as Christians, are obliged to care for the most vulnerable members of society.
In today's world, however, it is not enough to dispense dollar bills to panhandlers and homeless individuals; we need to see the myriad ways "Lazarus" is showing up in vulnerable populations -- in communities without access to water, in marginalized groups that are being systematically persecuted, in demographics lacking food or adequate healthcare, in societies where women are denied education, in islands and coastlands threatened by rising sea levels... In short, "Lazarus" is omnipresent and it will take more than charitable donations to help him (or her) over the chasm to which Abraham referred. To address the "Lazarus problem," we need to involve every member of the human race in coming up with viable solutions to the existential threats we are facing-- global warming, warfare, escalating migration, famine, water shortages, crop failure, economic disparity... We need to think of solutions rather than donations, and each of us must commit ourselves to living as global citizens. I will close with words from Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment:
Disinterested concern for others, and the rejection of every form of self- centeredness and self-absorption, are essential if we truly wish to care for our brothers and sisters and for the natural environment. These attitudes also attune us to the moral imperative of assessing the impact of our every action and personal decision on the world around us. If we can overcome individualism, we will truly be able to develop a different lifestyle and bring about significant changes in society.
(Laudato Si', v.208)
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