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| “Dives and Lazarus” by Leandro Bassano, c. 1595 |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: Jeremiah 17:5-10
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
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Commentary on Jer 17:5-10
This passage from Jeremiah is part of the wisdom
sayings (Sapiential Sayings). The first of these sayings uses opposition
or comparison imagery to demonstrate that the wise person trusts in God while
the foolish one trusts in his own strength or the help of others. The
psalms and other wisdom literature often borrow this imagery to portray the
true heart of faithfulness (see Psalm 1 below).
The second saying describes the root of evil,
the human heart whose secret plotting is transparent to God. The prophet
describes how the Lord God, who is all-knowing, sees the heart of each person
and will reward or punish each as they deserve.
CCC:
Jer 17:5-6 150
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope
in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps
1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to the
whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the Lord’s
commands, and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As in Romans 6:19ff, this
selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the
punishment of the wicked.
This wisdom psalm begins by
extolling the virtue of those who follow the law. The focus is to look to God
for guidance, and not to trust only in the counsel of men. Those who reject the
law will be blown away like “chaff,” an image used in the Gospel as well (Matthew 3:12).
This portion of the psalm is later
echoed in Isaiah
48:17-19, like an overlapped formula of covenant. Blessed is the man
who “delights in the law day and night,” but “the way of the wicked vanishes.”
It also takes up the theme of following right paths and staying true to the
teachings of God: “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked
nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but
delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night.”
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Gospel: 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 with 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 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.’
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.’“
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Commentary on Lk
16:19-31
The story of Lazarus and the Rich
Man is found only in the Gospel of Luke (The name
"Dives," applied to the rich man derives from the Latin word
"rich" originating in the Vulgate from "Homo quidam
erat dives, qui induebatur purpura et bysso, et epulabatur quotidie
splendide," some ancient texts name him "Nineveh"[4]) Jesus addresses this
story to the Pharisees who were known to be fond of money. In this context we
need to understand that all Jewish landowners were considered to be tenants of
Yahweh, the true landowner, and they all owed a tax to God’s representatives,
the poor.
The rich man’s great sin was
ignoring the suffering of Lazarus, and when they both had passed from this life
to the next, the rich man, suffering torment, begged Abraham to send Lazarus to
warn his brothers. The “punchline” that follows must have been especially harsh
for the Pharisaic audience. "If they will not listen to Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead."
This last statement, of course, is also alluding to his own rejection by the
scribes and Pharisees even after his own resurrection.
CCC: Lk 16:23-27 2615; Lk
16:24 2615,
2815; Lk 16:26 2815; Lk
16:28 661,
2795
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Reflection:
Scripture today has a hook at the end. In
the readings from Jeremiah and the Psalm we are reminded that if what we do
does not come from the Lord, it will be for naught. It is a strong
injunction against pride and a reminder that all that we can accomplish that is
good comes, not from our own efforts, but from God. It is he who gives us
the strength and will of purpose to accomplish the good work he puts in front
of us.
That is not to say it is preordained. No,
as we see in the parable of Lazarus in the Gospel, we all have choices.
God made us in his own image and likeness. Part of that gift is the
ability to choose right from wrong. In his life, the rich man in the
story of Lazarus chose to ignore the beggar at his door. He chose the
best for himself during his life on earth, even though it would not have cost
him dearly to help Lazarus. And finally, when it was too late, the rich
man found the truth. He was reminded forcibly by Abraham that kindness and help
for those who are poor were parts of the Law of Moses, even before it was
strengthened by Christ’s specific injunction to love one another.
Then we come to the hook at the end of the
story. The last line says; ‘If they will not listen to Moses and
the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the
dead.’” Jesus admonishes the Pharisees whose piety is inwardly
directed and at the same time sends a message. Across two millennia, he
lets us know that we too have been given the law, the prophets, and a Savior
who has risen from the dead. The story of Lazarus is meant as a reminder
to us about what our choices can mean for our eternal life.
In this season, as we reflect upon our past
mistakes, let us take the story of Lazarus as an injunction to evaluate our
future decisions and choose life. We have, after all, been given one who
was raised from the dead as a sign.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Dives and Lazarus” by Leandro Bassano,
c. 1595
[2]
S.S.Commemoratio
[3]
The
readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm
and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
[4]
"Lazarus and the Rich Man" Notes ©
1996, 1999, 2002 by T.L. Hubeart
