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Gospel Reading for March 20, 2025 – Luke 16: 19-31
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
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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THE LITTLE ONES, the Lazaruses in our midst . . .
There are those of us who are moneyed and sneer when reminded to help the poor, claiming that it is their fault that they are poor. There are those of us who look down on the poor as if they have dreadful disease. There are those of us who think we are big because the poor are small, etc..
Think of those children who would have wanted to go to school but their parents couldn’t afford getting them even free education because all other expenses cannot be gotten free. What will the future of these children be?
Think of those youth who would have wanted to go to College but couldn’t because their parents couldn’t afford. What kind of job can they get?
Think of those families who have to make do with having just one meal a day because it is all they could afford. What will happen to their health, and if they get sick, how can they afford health care?
Although it is true that we were all given abilities and strength to reach our goals, when the opportunities are less, they are not enough. We need the help of others.
This story comes from the Son of God himself. It has a very powerful message. Have we ever thought that the reason why they have so much less is because we have too much? The rich man in the gospel did not have to dine sumptuously each day, living as if there was no tomorrow, and instead should have shared with Lazarus what he had. How tragic it would be to find ourselves reaching the THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
Let us ask the Spirit to teach us see and appreciate the more valuable things in life!
