In the Scripture readings of Thursday of the Second Week of Lent (Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:19-31), there is a contrast between those who are blessed by God and those who are cursed, therefore, condemned by God.
In the First Reading (Jeremiah 17:5-10), those who
are blessed by God are those who trust God and seek His counsel, not a counsel
from humans. But those who are cursed are those who seek counsel only from
humans. In the Gospel Reading (Luke
16:19-31), a gluttonous rich man enjoyed his life on earth, while Lazarus
suffered from abject poverty. However, after both of them died, it was Lazarus
who enjoyed blessings but the rich man was condemned.
In the Gospel Reading (Luke 16:19-31), the rich man
was in a gastric bliss but Lazarus was in pain and hunger during their earthly
lives. Lazarus was at the door of the
rich man’s mansion. But, he did show any compassion for Lazarus, as Lazarus,
who was humble enough to be glad if he could receive scraps of food fell out of
the rich man’s table. Lazarus was left
in pain from sores and hunger from empty stomach, though he was in the rich
man’s sight. In the meantime, the rich man ate sumptuously.
The way the rich man lived a life of gluttony evokes
these indicting words of Paul:
For
many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct
themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their
God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied
with earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19).
In light of the above statement of Paul, the rich
man put his trust in his “stomach god” rather than God. And he can be
considered as an enemy of Christ, because the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 is like
the self-righteous man in Matthew 25:42-46. Ignoring and giving no care to a
person like Lazarus is basically rejecting Christ, who has said:
Amen,
I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do
for me (Matthew 25:45).
In light of our need to put trust in God but no human from the First Reading (Jeremiah 17:5-10), the rich man live a life that was destined to condemnation, because his “god” as his stomach, which he fed well, but left “Christ” in pain and hunger, because he trusted humans, who prepared food for him, not God. Had this rich man ever put his trust in God, he would have known and acted out of this mitzvah (commandment):
When
you give, give generously and not with a stingy heart; for that, the LORD, your
God, will bless you in all your works and undertakings. The land will never lack
for needy persons; that is why I command you: “Open your hand freely to your
poor and to your needy kin in your land” (Deuteronomy
15:10-11).
Even dogs acted out of compassion by licking his
sores, but the rich man did nothing for Lazarus (Luke 16:21), as he was too
busy taking care of his “stomach god” and his mind was preoccupied with earthly
things (Philippians 3:19). Obviously, in his earthly bliss, the rich man was
not concerned about God and His commandment.
God’s judgement did not even cross his mind.
Then, both the rich man and Lazarus died. While the
rich man was condemned to eternal suffering, Lazarus was put in Abraham’s
bosom, which means a place of comfort for the dead, accompanied by Abraham
(Luke 16:22-23).
Now who is in suffering and who is in comfort are
reversed.
Lazarus is in comforted by Abraham but the rich man
is in torment, and they are far from each other. It is not like Lazarus being
in the rich man’s sight.
Seeing Lazarus afar, being comforted in Abraham’s
presence, the rich man in suffering, sure envied, rather than repenting for not
believing in God and following His Law but keeping himself occupied with
earthly pleasures and feeding his “stomach god”. Unrepentant rich man was
audacious enough to ask Abraham to send Lazarus to “serve” him to quench his
thirst, out of his selfishness (Luke 16:24).
To this, Abraham replied:
My
child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while
Lazarus likewise 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 or
from your side to ours (Luke 16:25-26).
In other words, Abraham reminded the rich man in
torment that he was eternally condemned, as he has a no chance to be lifted
from the place of suffering to Abraham’s bosom, the place of comfort.
Coming to terms with his condemnation, the rich man,
then, asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of the
judgement for not listening to God in His Law and following commandments, such
as Deuteronomy 15:10-11.
And to this, Abraham said:
They
have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them
(Luke 16:29).
The rich man said:
Oh
no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent
(Luke 16:30).
Then Abraham said further:
If
they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead (Luke 16:31).
Through the above exchange between the rich man and
Abraham, Abraham was emphasizing the importance of listening to God through His
Law, which Moses brought, and prophets, such as Jeremiah, who had already
warned about the danger of not trusting God and not listening to Him.
The rich man should have listened to God. And his brothers need to listen to God on their own, rather than having someone from the dead, to tell them.
What the rich man should have listened to, while he
was still living on earth, and what his brothers need to listen not to follow
their brother’s suit, is God’s words in His Law, handed by Moses, and His words
through the mouths of the prophets, such as Jeremiah.
Had the rich man trusted God and listened to His
words, for example, Jeremiah had spoken, as found in the First Reading (Jeremiah 17:5-10), he could
have been in Abraham’s bosom with Lazarus. He had a chance to repent while he
was still living on earth for his sin of indifference to the poor, Lazarus.
Obviously, he was too busy listening to his “stomach god”, whom he trusted with
his flesh.
For Lazarus, this reflects these words of Jesus:
Blessed
are the poor, for they inherit the Kingdom (Luke 6:20).
For the rich man, these words of Jesus are applied:
But
woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you
who are filled now, for you will be hungry (Luke 6:24-25).
Now on which side do you see yourself in this set of
contrasts: blessed or cursed, trusting God or trusting humans; listening to God
through the Law and the prophets or listening to human or its flesh as “stomach
god”?
Since Lent is not over yet, you have a chance to
make a necessary mend – so that you will not end up like the rich man in
eternal torment.
In juxtaposing the First Reading (Jeremiah 5:5-10)
to Matthew 25:31-46, the Gospel Reading of Monday of the First Week of Lent,
you can see that those who trust God care for the poor, like Lazarus, not only
it is a commandment of God (e.g. Deuteronomy 15:10-11) but it is Christ among
us in the human flesh, being poor, to test us (i.e. Jeremiah 15:10; cf. Matthew
25:35-45).
Remember, we have been tested, as God has been
probing our hearts and minds. By trusting and listening to Him, we know what to
do. We do not need to ask humans for advice on this.
Psalmists have also sung the importance of trusting
God:
Better
to take refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in mortals. Better to take
refuge in the LORD than to put one’s trust in princes
(Psalm 118:8-9).
Put
no trust in princes, Who breathing his last, returns to the earth; that day all
his planning comes to nothing. Blessed the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God, The maker of heaven and earth, the seas and
all that is in them, Who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the
oppressed, who gives bread to the hungry.
The
LORD sets prisoners free; the LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up
those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD protects the
resident alien, comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the
way of the wicked. The LORD shall reign forever, your God, Zion, through all
generations!
Hallelujah! (Psalm 146:3-10)
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