The Rich Man and Lazarus: A Call to Compassion
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the powerful parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is stark: the rich man lived in luxury every day, while Lazarus, poor and covered in sores, longed for scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. When they both died, their destinies reversed—Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s side, while the rich man found himself in torment.
The parable is not a condemnation of wealth itself but of indifference. The rich man’s sin was not noticing Lazarus. He stepped over him, day after day, and failed to see the suffering right at his gate. His blindness to compassion became his downfall.
Seeing Lazarus Today
This story continues to speak to us with urgency. Lazarus is not only a figure in Scripture—he is alive in our world today. He sits at the doorsteps of our parishes, in our neighborhoods, and across nations plagued by poverty, war, and neglect. We meet him in the homeless, the sick, the lonely, and the marginalized.
As our pastor reflected, the parable is a mirror held up to us: the measure of our Christian life is not how comfortable we are, but how attentive we are to those in need. The rich man’s eternal regret was that he realized too late the value of mercy. Our calling, therefore, is to open our eyes and hearts now, while there is still time to love, serve, and share.
The Church’s Voice Through the Ages
The Church has consistently raised this call. Pope John XXIII, in Pacem in Terris (1963), reminded the world that peace is rooted in truth, justice, love, and freedom. A few years later, Pope Paul VI, in Populorum Progressio (1967), emphasized the moral duty of wealthier nations to support poorer ones. These teachings echo today’s Gospel: the cries of the poor must not be ignored.
Even the prophet Amos, centuries before Christ, denounced the complacency of the wealthy who lived in luxury while the poor suffered. And Luke’s Gospel, written nearly two millennia ago, still pierces our modern conscience: true discipleship requires mercy, compassion, and justice lived out in concrete ways.
Our Christian Response
To follow Christ is to reject indifference. Our pastor beautifully put it this way:
As Christians, we are called to remove the lens of “who cares” and put on the lens of “we care.”
We care not because we are wealthy or powerful, but because we are all children of God, created in His image and likeness.
Every act of charity, no matter how small, has eternal value.
Love is never wasted. Even a simple gesture—sharing a meal, offering kindness, listening to someone in pain—ripples into eternity.
A Call Not to Delay
This Gospel is not just a story for reflection but a call to action. The Church reminds us that our future with God depends on how we live this love today. Let us not delay in answering the call to see and serve the “Lazarus” at our gates.
May we live each day with eyes wide open, hearts ready to respond, and hands eager to serve. For in loving the least among us, we draw closer to the heart of Christ Himself.