But wisdom is justified by her children

 

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:

"We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not lament.'

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'   The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by her children."

 

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done,  because they did not repent:  "Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

 

- Matthew 11:16–24 

 

On Friday we read that the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus to ask if He was the One whom they awaited, as John is now imprisoned by King Herod.  On Saturday we read that, as the Baptist's disciples departed,  Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  For this is he of whom it is written:'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.' Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'   The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by her children."  Jesus here references a popular children's game of the time.  The children would divide into two groups.  One group would pretend to be musicians or singers, and the other would respond -- but in a way opposite that which would be expected.  The first group would either play music for dancing, or sing mourning dirges for a funeral; the second group would pretend either to dance or to weep.  Christ draws a parallel between children playing this game, and the Jewish leaders who responded wickedly both to John the Baptist as being too ascetic, and to Christ for being too liberal in mercy and joy.  

 

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done,  because they did not repent:  "Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."  My study Bible comments that it is a far greater sin to have seen Christ's works and rejected Him than never to have known Him at all. 

 

Jesus' expression, "But wisdom is justified by all her children," in some ways gives us a wonderful sense of the myriad possibilities of the saints.  That is, saints come to us in perhaps all walks of life (such as former prostitutes, for example) and varied places and personas such as makes it impossible to definitively categorize an image or life of a saint into one kind of framework.  Christ Himself distinguishes His own life from that of John the Baptist, noting that they form quite different pictures in the world and in their respective ministries.  John was an extreme ascetic, cutting all out of his life save his mission of prophesy in preparation for the Messiah, and living a radical poverty.  Jesus associated with notorious sinners such as tax collectors and others, for as He said Himself, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Matthew 9:12-13).  But what Jesus here commemorates in His teaching is that both will receive criticism from those who look on from the outside, and do not understand their missions and ministries.  When we take a look at the 2,000 year old history of the Church, and its countless saints, we find people from all kinds of backgrounds and lives.  In the history of the Orthodox Church alone, we find lists of saints that are seemingly inexhaustible, from every century.  We can look at saints such as St. Philothei of Athens, a 16th century woman from a very wealthy landowning family who was widowed at a young age (that story, in and of itself, is not that unusual in the history of the saints).  She chose to dedicate her life to Christ, establishing monasteries under Ottoman rule.  Moreover, she distinguished herself by seeking to ransom and save many women from slavery in Ottoman harems, giving them refuge, training them to do other types of work, even establishing a central marketplace with stalls for women to sell the wares and crafts they learned to make.  She was martyred by being beaten for her activities in ransoming and saving women from slavery.  In the city of Athens, Greece the properties she established continue to shape much of the central city.  See her biography here.  We can contrast St. Philothei with a modern saint who established his ministries in Shanghai, China and San Francisco, California during a period of extremely turbulent world politics which centrally affected his flocks.  He is known as St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St. John Maximovitch, and St. John the Wonderworker for the miracles associated with him.  He ministered in the Russian Empire, in Western Europe, in China, and finally in the Western United States, and is known for care of the faithful amidst seemingly unending strife even among parishioners and within his flock as a bishop.  He ministered even under Japanese occupation in China, and refused to bend to the Soviet authorities in Russia.  He himself was the victim of varied accusations, including slander from political enemies.  In the midst of building a cathedral in San Francisco, he was accused of financial wrongdoing and taken to court by a group which included some of his own church board, other priests, and even bishops, but was exonerated.  He was known for his extreme asceticism and unconventional behavior (such as appearing barefoot to visit the ill in hospital), and his relics lie now enshrined in the magnificent cathedral he built in San Francisco, Holy Virgin Cathedral the Joy of all Who Sorrow.  See a partial biography here.  From these very few examples, our Lord Jesus Christ, St. John the Baptist, St. Philothei of Athens, and St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, we see a wide diversity of saints who lived across the centuries and in varied places across the world.  St. Paul has said of his own holy life, that he was given an ailment we don't quite know, which he called a thorn in his side, and a messenger of Satan.  He prayed unsuccessfully to the Lord to remove it from him, but he was told by the Lord, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  St. Paul concluded, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).   What all of this possibly teaches us about holiness is that while none of us are perfect, God works through us nevertheless.  Let us honor holiness wherever it is found!  For wisdom is justified by  her children.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  

 

"Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  

 

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

- Luke 16:19-31 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon." Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."  In today's reading, Jesus gives a new parable, that of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  My study Bible explains here that Abraham's bosom means heaven.   It says that Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous because, in stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham showed hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).  That the rich man . . . was buried is seen in patristic commentary as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  My study Bible quotes St. John Chrysostom, who comments that this rich man was already buried in life by "couches, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  Note also that the one we know only as the "rich man" remains unnamed -- indicating that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).  

 

 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "  My study Bible comments that the rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected.  Instead, we should note that Abraham accepts this role.  He calls the rich man son and shows himself to be compassionate even towards the most wretched of men.  The great gulf, my study Bible explains, is not a geographical divide, but the complete separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that cannot be overcome after death.   It asks us to note that torments have not changed the rich man's heart:  he still sees Lazarus as a servant existing for the sake of his own comfort.  Finally, this parable by Christ reveals the communion of the saints, in that a man, not even a believer, calls out from Hades and converses with Saint Abraham.

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  My study Bible comments that some Fathers see this parable being set after the final judgment, citing the punishment and reward being received by the two men respectively.  Others see this parable as set at a time after death but before the second coming of Christ, as is shown by the man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  The torment he is experiencing, my study Bible notes, would be but a foretaste of his final state.  From this perspective, we learn that the souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see Luke 9:30-31; 2 Maccabees 15:12-16; Matthew 2:18), but also that the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but avail nothing (contrast James 5:16).  Regarding this final verse, my study Bible quotes St. John Chrysostom:  "The ignorance of Scripture is a great cliff and a deep abyss.  It is impossible for anyone to be without benefit if he reads continually and with attention."  Moreover, my study Bible adds, the rebellious were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15; John 12:9-11).  

If we read the parable not as delineating for us a physical place, but rather a spiritual location, one in which we find ourselves as a result of disregarding the essential importance of faith, we might see more clearly what hell and torments are all about.  If this is the state of the soul; that is, the state of our life once life in this world is behind us, then what we're reading about is the soul in conditions which are more closely experiencing the energies of God.  The fiery torment of hell, in this light, is the closer proximity to the same fire of the Burning Bush (Exodus 3), out of which the Lord spoke to Moses, or the pillar of fire that illumined the way in the darkness for Israel (Exodus 13:20-22).  By resisting and rejecting God -- which is expressed in this parable quite clearly in its final verses -- we alienate ourselves to this energy, and so experience it as torment.  Seen in this way, the parable also speaks to us of the powerful force and spiritual tool that is repentance:  the desire to change one's mind, and orient the soul in a new direction.  The parable illustrates for us, then, that repentance is a way to place ourselves more closely in alignment with those energies of God, of the Holy Spirit at work in the world, and so to experience God's grace as that in which we participate and are welcome, not as chafing torment.  Repentance, in this sense, offer us a compatibility with the things of God, as opposed to alienation.  When we're afraid of change, afraid to repent, we are really afraid of setting aside our old values and goals, and finding instead the ones which God would give us.  Jesus speaks often throughout the Gospels of the hold that sin and "mammon" can have upon us.  "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" He says, whereas, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" ( see John 8:31-34).  In this parable, Jesus gives us the spiritual truth in a picture of the soul and its relationship -- or broken relationship -- with God.  It is a kind of warning to us about the preciousness of the time that we have in this world, for as we read between the lines, so to speak, we see that in a place where time ceases to have the meaning it does in our worldly life, repentance becomes even more difficult and our spiritual distance from God a more impenetrable gulf.  In addition to these intriguing topics that the parable brings to us, we should not forget that Jesus gives the parable in the context of His recent teachings, and especially yesterday's reading (above), in which He taught that one cannot serve God and mammon.  What we (and my study Bible) observe about this rich man's behavior toward Lazarus is that it still embodies a type of "transactional" way of thinking -- and one in which Lazarus is viewed as a type of commodity, a servant to use.   The wealthy man does not really repent; he does not come to see Lazarus as a person to whom he's done harm in his neglect.  Instead he seeks to use Lazarus as an instrument to send a warning to his brothers.  The final answer here is clear, that there have been many servants sent into the world to warn and to teach.  The repeated calls of the prophets have already been sent out into the world.  And now the One who speaks will be raised from the dead, the Suffering Servant who will go to the Cross in a saving message for the whole world -- and this will be enough.  Let us pay attention and trust His word.

If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

Icon of the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, circa 1800.  Palekh School.  Found at Ruzhnikov

 

"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham , 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' " 

 

- Luke 16:19-31 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught:  "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."

 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores."  We can see the great contrast between the rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen, and who fared sumptuously every day, and the poor beggar named Lazarus who was full of sores, was laid at his gate, and simply wanted to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  There could not be more of a marked difference between the two.  The sores all over Lazarus' body no doubt torment him, as did those of Job (Job 2:7-9).  We also read of Lazarus that moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  This may seem entirely cringe-worthy even today, let alone in the Middle East where dogs of the streets are viewed in an entirely negative light.  But we'd be surprised by the commentary of St. Cyril of Alexandria, who writes, "Yes, it says that even the dogs licked his sores and did not injure him yet sympathized with him and cared for him. Animals relieve their own sufferings with their tongues, as they remove what pains them and gently soothe the sores. The rich man was crueler than the dogs, because he felt no sympathy or compassion for him but was completely unmerciful."

"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried."  My study Bible comments that Abraham's bosom means heaven.  Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous, it says, because, in stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham showed hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).  That the rich man . . . was buried is seen in patristic commentary as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, which was buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  My study Bible quotes from St. John Chrysostom, that the rich man was already buried in life by "couches, rugs, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  That the rich man remains unnamed indicates that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).

"And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham , 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "  The rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father isn't rejected, my study Bible tells us.  Rather, Abraham accepts the role, calling the rich man son, and showing himself to be compassionate even towards the wretched of men.  The great gulf, my study Bible explains, isn't a geographical divide, but the complete separation between virtue and wickedness.  This is a separation, it says, that cannot be overcome after death.  His own torments have not changed the rich man's heart.  He still sees Lazarus as a servant who exists for the sake of his own comfort.  Moreover, this account by Christ teaches us the communion of the saints.  That is, a man who is not even a believer, calls out from Hades and converses with Saint Abraham.

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'"   My study Bible reports that some patristic writers see this parable as set after the final judgment, and they cite the punishment and reward being received by these two men.  Others see this parable set at a time after death, but before the second coming of Christ (and the Judgment), as the man seeks to intercede on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  My study Bible says that the torment he experiences would be only a foretaste of his final state.  From this perspective, we learn that the souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see Luke 9:30-31, Matthew 2:18, 2 Maccabees 15:12-16) -- but also that even the intercessions of a wicked person are heard, although they avail nothing (contrast to James 5:16).  

 

"But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "   My study Bible quotes St. John Chrysostom on this passage:  "The ignorance of Scripture is a great cliff and a deep abyss.   It is impossible for anyone to be without benefit if he reads continually and with attention."  Moreover, it says, the rebellious were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15, John 12:9-11). 

One thing we do know from this parable, it illustrates that the consciousness of these two men remain alive after physical death, and both experience an afterlife.  There also is Abraham, paternal ancestor of the Jews, who is seen as a spiritual elder by the rich man.  As my study Bible notes, it's significant that the rich man never has a name mentioned in the Scripture; it means that he will be ontologically "forgotten."  At its heart, this story is about compassion, and about empathy.  Even in some sense, the stray dogs -- lowest of creatures in the historic mindset of the peoples of this region -- display an empathy and have compassion on Lazarus.  They lick his sores as they would lick their own to heal.  In this sense, although what they can give is meager indeed, they offer this hurt man full of sores what they can.  But the rich man does not even offer the crumbs from his table, showing ultimately his complete lack of concern and utter abandonment of the stranger outside of his door.  It's a kind of neglect that is so absolute that it is an extreme example of self-centeredness, selfishness.  Clearly the rich man is concerned only with himself.   He still sees Lazarus beneath him in a hierarchy, as if he were his servant.  But it is too late even if Lazarus were to seek to fill the request, and Abraham make that request for the rich man.  There is a great gulf fixed between them.  It is while we remain in this world that repentance has great effect.  While we are in this world the reconsideration of our ways of thinking is so important in a spiritual sense.  Let us recall that this parable is taught immediately after the teaching that we cannot serve God and mammon (in yesterday's reading, above).  The 'laws' of material things seem to declare that the more we accumulate and use for ourselves the better, while the gospel of the kingdom would teach us that it is important to practice mercy if we desire mercy, that we we "make friends" for the kingdom of heaven by good use of what we have in this world.  Abraham is known for his hospitality.  It is to Abraham that St. Paul refers when he writes to the Hebrews, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Hebrews 13:2).  The story of Abraham intertwines with the story of Lazarus and the rich man particularly around this notion of hospitality.  It is not so much his lack of sharing of his goods, but his complete lack of awareness of the unwanted person outside of his door, the outcast whom only the dogs offer care or attention.  And this makes an extremely important point, because it makes us clear where real selfishness or self-centeredness leads.  It teaches us about the real depth of meaning in charity, that is not simply about not distributing what we have, but really about the lack of concern or awareness of another human being at all, that others have souls that need communion and belonging.   The rich man seems to make a little progress if only because he seems to consider his brothers and their ignorance of the reality he now faces.  But even that is to no avail, for his brothers also have what he always had:  Moses and the prophets.  And let us not forget that it is the Pharisees to whom Jesus speaks now, who derided Jesus for His teachings on using resources to "make friends" for the kingdom of God.  In today's reading, we're also reminded of the parable of the Good Samaritan, who used his own resources to "be a neighbor" to another whom he happened to pass along the road.  In each of these cases, the concepts of hospitality, charity, neighborliness, and using resources to help others all intermingle to contrast with what it means to abandon others, to have no awareness nor empathy for those around ourselves.  This is the fundamental conflict between Lazarus and the rich man, not simply that one is rich and one is poor.   Even the dogs show a character of charity or empathy by their nature and offer what they can.  I have heard it said that to be created in the image and likeness of God is to be endowed with the potential for grace, and to express it.  Ultimately it is simple power of acknowledging others, of kindness and what is historically understood as graciousness, that makes for truly God-like behavior, the kind of character that is compatible with the energies of God in heaven.  All it takes is a word or a prayer, an awareness, a sense in which another is a neighbor.  Ultimately, it is the capacity to care that makes a distinction in this story, and the will to act on it, the compassion that makes one a neighbor.  And there are some who will remain unpersuaded though One has risen from the dead.

Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented

 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  

"Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

- Luke 16:19–31 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught to the Pharisees with whom He sat at table:  "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." 

 

  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."   Abraham's bosom, my study bible explains, means heaven.  Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous as, by stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham is the one who showed hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).  That the rich man . . . was buried is seen in patristic tradition as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, as he was buried by the pleasures of the flesh, as my study bible puts it.  St. John Chrysostom comments that this rich man was already buried in life by "couches, rugs, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  That he remains unnamed indicates that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).  

"Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'"  My study bible points out that the rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected.  Rather, Abraham accepts this role, and calls the rich man son -- showing himself to be compassionate towards this most wretched of human beings.   Moreover, the great gulf, we are to understand, is not a geographical divide, but rather it is the complete separation between virtue and wickedness.  This is a separation that is not overcome after death.  We must also note that torments haven't changed this rich man's heart.  He still sees Lazarus as a servant who exists for the sake of his personal comfort.  Additionally, my study bible asks us to note that Christ's story reveals the communion of the saints.  A man, who is not even a believer, calls out from Hades and converses with St. Abraham!

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  My study bible teaches that some Fathers see this parable being set after the final judgment, citing for reference the punishment and reward being received by the two men respectively.  But others see this parable set at a time after death, but before the second coming of Christ -- evidenced by this rich man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  The torment that he is experiencing here is therefore a foretaste of his final state.  In this perspective, we're taught by Jesus that the souls of the departed are aware and concerned for the state of those who are still alive on earth (see 9:30-31; Matthew 2:18; 2 Maccabees 15:12-16).  Also let us note that the parable teaches that the intercession of a wicked person are heard, although they do not avail anything, especially in light of a contradictory truth (contrast to the prayers of the righteous in James 5:16).  

Let us consider the topsy-turvy nature of the outcome in life, and in "afterlife," for this rich man and for Lazarus.  Interestingly, the story is not told from the perspective of Lazarus but rather from the rich man's perspective, so that we might more clearly understand his suffering and the surprise nature of his "upending" through the justice that prevails in the afterlife.  Clearly, it is addressed to the Pharisees, and we have already been told by way of introduction (in yesterday's reading) that the Pharisees were lovers of money.  One thing Jesus is obviously trying to do is to contrast their love of material goods with something a little less tangible; that is, with the goods of the kingdom, which is righteousness.  Righteousness would particularly include behavior that stems from mercy, acts of compassion, a right-relatedness that begins with the consideration of the two great commandments (Matthew 22:36-40), which first teach love of God, and link this to love of neighbor.  Today's parable is rare, in that it gives us a glimpse into life after life in this world, and also the perspective of the rich man.  One thing we can read into this story is the sure warning regarding just how many "chances" we have to grasp at the spiritual truth of Christ's teachings.   Abraham starkly tells the rich man, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."  And we the present readers of the Gospel, and those who first heard the Gospel, know the name of Lazarus as one who did rise from the dead -- as well as Christ Himself.  This is, after all, a story about the power of testimony, but also about our response to testimony and witnessing.  Lazarus himself, the friend of Jesus (John 11), served as a testimony to all in Jerusalem regarding the kingdom of God and the Person of Jesus Christ.  Additionally, this topsy-turvy circumstance, in which the tables are turned against the rich man, is not something new at all to the context of the Scriptures.  In the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), she declares that she smiles at her enemies.  The proud and the arrogant will be judged by God, the barren will bear seven, the hungry will cease to hunger.  In words that could be written purely for this story of the rich man and Lazarus, Hannah declares, "The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.  The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory" (1 Samuel 2:6-8).  Importantly, we can see reflections of Hannah's song in the song of Mary, the Mother of God.  This song is popularly known by the first word of the Latin version, Magnificat, found here in Luke's Gospel at 1:46-55.  It is Mary's song of praise to the Lord.  In Mary's song, the Lord has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree.  Moreover, the Lord has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich have been sent away empty.  The songs of both Hannah and Mary reflect an understanding of the work of the Lord, and the power of the Lord.  In the story of the rich man, we are given the perspective of one of the mighty who have been cast down, so to speak.  It is a prophetic warning by Christ to the Pharisees.  What is possibly the most distinguishing feature in terms of its impact on a listening audience is that there is a limit to warnings, and possibly even to grace, if you will, in the sense that rejection counts for something.  A rejection of God's word is a turning away from a gift, the spurning of truth.  This prophetic truth is not an endless supply of time and again chances like buying a ticket in a lottery.  Rather, prophecy and the word of God counts for something, because they are given in what God considers to be the appropriate time -- and so, our rejection also counts for something.  It is a question of how seriously we take our spiritual state, and how seriously we take God.  As faithful Christians, we are used to hearing about the infinite and inestimable nature of God's grace.  Repentance is something that will always catch the ear of God, and our prayers are always heard.  But we should keep in mind that Jesus is speaking to the religious experts, the Pharisees, those with the responsibility for upholding, teaching, and maintaining the faith for the people.  Here, the evocation of prophecy is what is important, and consistent with Jesus' teaching of the parable of the vineyard owner who repeatedly sends servants and finally his only son to the vinedressers who produce no fruits from his vineyard (Luke 20:9-19).  In this important sense, the story of Lazarus and the rich man is a teaching about how we receive spiritual understanding and the work of God among us, particularly through prophecy, and of course the word of Christ the Son.  It is a reminder that we might find ourselves suddenly in a "topsy-turvy" place, where God's intervention in the world reverses our own certainties.

Wisdom is justified by her children

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:

'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.'

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by her children."

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:  "Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." 

- Matthew 11:16-24

 On Saturday we read that as John the Baptist's disciples departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  For this is he of whom it is written:  'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before you.'  Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:  'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by her children."  Jesus likens the response of the leadership (and the fickleness of the crowds who follow) to a popular children's game.  The children would divide into two groups; one pretending either to play musical instruments or sing, and the other responding in a way opposite of that which would have been expected.  Jesus draws a parallel to the leadership who responded with criticism both of John the Baptist as being too ascetic and to Jesus as being too liberal in mercy and joy.  And yet, as He pointed out in the reading from Saturday, they had all gone out to see John when he preached repentance in the wilderness (see Saturday's reading, above).  That wisdom is justified by her children teaches us once again to look at the fruits of ministry; they justify both John and Jesus, regardless of their different appearance and style.

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:  "Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."  My study bible says here that it is a far greater sin to have seen Christ's works and rejected Him than never to have known Him at all.

 In today's reading, we get Jesus' scathing remarks to those who reject ministry and the work of God in the world, and of wisdom.  They are like children playing and taunting, shallow and with no depth nor understanding.  And worse, there are those who have seen great works of power, and yet who still reject the message of the Kingdom.  It is an acknowledgement in the Gospel of rejection, of those who cannot accept what is within their midst.  Certainly Jesus is implicating the leadership, who seem focused only on criticism of surface appearances, and cannot see the substance and truth of what is happening, even if mighty works are done in their cities.  It's an indication of how deep rejection can go in the face of truth staring us in the face.  It's also a teaching to us about the kind of complacency that trusts only in our own self-interest, in our "places at the table."  Jesus touches on such a theme when He speaks scathingly of those in high places:  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation" (Luke 20:46-47).  It comes down a question of what we put our trust into.  Do we go by the shallow surface of appearances, so easy to criticize and judge?  Or do we judge with good judgment?  Do we reach down into a place where we put our trust in something deeper, something into which our prayer life leads us?  Jesus teaches us to refrain from surface judgments, and not to judge by mere appearance (John 7:24).  In Matthew 7, Jesus has said, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" (7:1-3).  When judgment of others rests on surface appearances, it too often serves selfish ambition and complacency.  We avoid doing what we ought to be doing, practicing awareness of ourselves and our own state of mind and heart, and insist that we can ascribe motive to others without 'judging good judgment.'  The one way that Jesus teaches over and over to find good judgment is through the fruits of those who come to us as prophets of one thing and another:  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" (7:15-16).  In today's reading, Jesus gives us a positive version of these statements when He refers to both John's and His own ministry:  "But wisdom is justified by her children."   He and John bear very little surface resemblance to one another, in many dimensions.  Jesus eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners; John is extremely ascetic, dedicated to a life of poverty in his love of God.  But both serve the same wisdom.  Many of my readers may be familiar with the great Byzantine cathedral called Haghia Sophia, or "Holy Wisdom," built in Constantinople in the sixth century and still standing.  In the Greek tradition, "Holy Wisdom" refers to Christ.  That is, the wisdom of the Lord who was at work in the world throughout the Old Testament foreshadowing Christ, and Incarnate as Jesus Christ in the New.  St. Paul also calls Christ "wisdom" (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-24).  In both Hebrew and Greek, the word for wisdom is feminine, and thus given a feminine article and pronoun.   Jesus is teaching us to grasp wisdom, to come to know it, and to know her children, no matter how varied and different they may seem to us.  It is only this way that we can practice "good judgment," to make discernment, and to understand the reality behind what we see.  Too often we are deceived by our own desires, our limited viewpoint, the fear of losing our own place, particularly in the eyes of the world.   It remains essential that we understand, in a world beset by images and bad judgment, and constant criticism tearing down all and sundry without thought, that we know that "wisdom is justified by her children."  This must be a part of our faith, that which we cling to, pray to, and in which we seek to participate in the life of Christ and the communion of saints.  There we begin, and there we find what is truly good for us, and for the world.

If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'   Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

- Luke 16:19-31

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."

"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried."   My study bible says that Abraham's bosom means heaven.  Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous because he is known for having shown hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8), in contrast to the rich man and his treatment of Lazarus.  A traditional interpretation of the text that reads the rich man . . . was buried says that it illustrates the state of his soul as merciless because buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  According to St. John Chrysostom, the man was already buried in life by "couches, rugs, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  We also note that the text doe snot name the rich man, an indication that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).

"And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'"  It seems as if the rich man's appeal to Abraham as spiritual father is rejected, but in fact it is not so.  Abraham accepts the role of spiritual father in calling the rich man son and behaving with compassion even to this now tormented man.  My study bible says that the great gulf is not a geographical divide, but a spiritual reality.  It is the complete separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that can't be overcome after death.  The torments haven't changed this man's heart, he still sees Lazarus as servant who exists for the sake of his own comfort.  Finally, my study bible says that Jesus' teaching reveals the communion of the saints; a man who is not even a believer calls out from Hades is can converse with St. Abraham.

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'   Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'"  There are some traditional interpretations of this parable that teach it is set after the final judgment, citing the punishment and reward being received by the two men.  But others see it set at a table after death but before Christ's second coming, since the man intercedes on behalf of his still-living brothers.  The torment he experiences, says my study bible, would be a foretaste of his final state.  From this perspective then, we learn that souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see 9:30-31, 2 Maccabees 15:12-16; Matthew 2:18).  Moreover it seems that, unlike those of the saints and righteous,  the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but they avail nothing.

"But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  My study bible quotes St. John Chrysostom here:  "The ignorance of Scripture is a great cliff and a deep abyss.  It is impossible for anyone to be without benefit if he reads continually and with attention."  Moreover, it says, the rebellious were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15, John 12:9-11).

It's interesting to look at the parable and discern what it might tell us about the state of life after death, what heaven is truly like.  In some sense, although they are clearly separated in certain ways, the rich man and Abraham occupy the same place.  They are able to communicate with one another easily.  Each is somehow clearly able to perceive the state of the other.  One thing this may indicate to us is a teaching about hell or hellfire given us by tradition:  that the flames of hell and the fire of God's love are one and the same.  What it teaches us is about the incompatibility of a life given over to material-mindedness, forms of selfishness.  The soul, having identified itself with "mammon" (see yesterday's reading, above), feels itself burning and in torment by the energies of God.  This is a kind of incompatibility that causes suffering due to the mindset and orientation of the one who resists God's reality.  The one thing that separates Abraham and the rich man by an "unpassable gulf" is the rich man's lack of true repentance, or change of mind.  Nowhere do we hear him in a repentant tone.  He is concerned for his brothers who still live, but Lazarus he cannot see as a equally a person, one having the same spiritual stature as himself.  As my study bible points out, he still sees and treats Lazarus as a servant to do his bidding -- truly a very materialistic perspective of another human being.  What this may teach us is that indeed, we may all occupy the same space, but spiritually, as my study bible points out, there may be all the depth of distance and impassable border.  That it is the rich man's failure to repent that creates his own estrangement from heaven is compatible the recent parables Jesus has taught, and particularly that of the Great Supper (14:15-24).  What we observe in that parable is that everyone is invited to this great supper of the king, but it is those who refuse the invitation who are forever locked out.  What in fact we may surmise is something akin to Jesus' teaching, after Isaiah, that there are those who have no ears to hear and no eyes to see, in fact that such a gulf may exist between us even among the closest relationships we have in the world.  Indeed, Lazarus in the parable sat outside the gate of this man's home, was in fact his neighbor, who perhaps spoke to him regularly as beggar, and yet the divide between them which was created by the rich man's attitude become an implacable gulf in spiritual terms.  When Jesus teaches that He came to send a fire on earth, not to bring peace but a sword that would separate us even from those closest to us (12:49-53), we must think of this reality in spiritual terms, and where our orientation places us, depending on whom we serve.

Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

- Matthew 14:1-12

 In yesterday's reading, we finished chapter 13 of Matthew's Gospel -- the chapter in which He introduces the use of parables to His ministry.  The chapter began with Jesus teaching the parable of the Sower and giving its explanation in private to His disciples (see 13:1-23).  He then gave the parable of the Wheat the Tares,  and the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.  Once again in private, the disciples asked Him to explain the parable of the Wheat and the Tares to them. Finally He taught His disciples the parables of the treasure in a field, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet.  When Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  We're told that Herod the tetrarch, hearing about Jesus, fears that John the Baptist has returned from the dead.  This ruler is also known as Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great.  It is the first time we're told that authorities of the Roman imperial government have taken notice of Christ's ministry (although nominally a "Jewish" king, he governs as representative of Roman rule).  The gospel then proceeds to tell us why precisely Antipas has this fear about Jesus.   Herodias, his wife, had been married to an elder son, called Philip in the text, who seemed in line to succeed their father, Herod the Great, after his eldest surviving son plotted against him and failed.  But knowledge of the plot and failure to report it led Herod the Great to drop Herodias' husband from succession in his will just days before his death.  Herodias then divorced her husband (legal for Roman women, but not for Jewish women), and she later married Herod Antipas while her first husband was still living.  Thus, this is the basis for outrage of the Jewish people, as a violation of Jewish law.  John the Baptist, as prophet, speaks openly against it.

But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  We are given a flashback of the gruesome story of John's death at the hands of Herod Antipas and the plotting of his wife Herodias and her daughter.  For the Church, the Baptist is not only understood as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets and herald of Christ, according to the word of Jesus (see 11:9-11).  He is also understood as defender and protector of marriage.  Moreover, his martyrdom is seen as allowing the coming of the Messiah to be announced to the souls in Hades, for John is "forerunner" there as well as on earth.  In John's obedience to God, he preferred death over compromise.  In his own time, John was revered as a holy man, both among the disciples of Christ and the Jewish people in general.

In John the Baptist, we see the great example not only of obedience but of service to God.  He is bold and fearless in his defense of God's word, the law given through Moses.  He speaks as one who defends the faith and the people, boldly 'speaking truth to power' as a common phrase would have it.  As martyr, he dies for his faith and for his role in salvation, serving the Kingdom as herald even to those in the tombs and who also await the light of Christ.  This is the way the Church sees him, and we must also keep in mind how his own contemporaries saw him, as true holy man and figure of greatness.   While we may consider our own contemporary practices of divorce to be much different from that time, we may still look at this picture of Herod Antipas' time and his court and consider the repugnant nature of worldly power and its violations of all things sacred here, the basis of any form of ethics.  Herodias is clearly a schemer and manipulator; even her own daughter is taught that the death of a holy man -- in such a horrific fashion in the image of his head upon the plate at a birthday feast -- is justified if it serves personal power.  Herodias was born into a royal family, orphaned by the execution of her father by Herod the Great, and given to her first husband by him as well.  Herod the Great's rule was known for its cruelty and even murderous plotting among his family, notorious even for its own time.  In that light, John's outspokenness serves as a reminder of the tremendous courage of those who seek God's word and will in all circumstances, even in times of the most fiercely vile practices in service to power, prestige, and worldly gain.  He stands as a beacon of light among great darkness, who fulfills his role as herald of the great Light coming into the world, and as prophet of God's word.  In the salvation plan of God, he is herald even to the souls of those who await Resurrection.  He remains an example of faith for all of us, as light in a time of darkness.

Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven

 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

- Matthew 16:13-20

Yesterday, we read that the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.  He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.'  Hypocrites!  You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.  A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."  And He left them and departed.  Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.  Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."  But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?  Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?  Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?  How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?  -- but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"  So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."  My study bible has several notes on today's verses.  Of today's entire reading, we're told that the question Who do you say that I am?  is the greatest question that anyone can ever face.  This is because it is actually the question that, in fact, defines Christianity.  It tells us that Peter's correct answer prevents the Christian faith from being interpreted as yet another philosophical system (particularly in the context of a time in which there were many philosophies that vied for disciples, but also, all times) or a "path" of spirituality, because it actually names Jesus as the one and only Son of the living God.  Therefore other religious systems don't contain this essential element.  It tells us that Peter's understanding can't be achieved through human reason alone, but can only be truly given by divine revelation through faith (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Christ means "Anointed One," equivalent to "Messiah" in Hebrew.  My study bible notes that Jesus first draws out the erroneous opinions that are expressed about Himself.  It says, "He does this to identify these incorrect ideas, as a person is better prepared to avoid false teachings when they are clearly identified."

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. "  My study bible says, "Peter/rock is a play on the word for 'rock' in both Aramaic and Greek (petros/petra).  This rock refers not to Peter per se, but to the 'faith of his confession' (John Chrysostom).  The true Rock is Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 10:4), and the Church is built on the faithful confession of Christ.  Gates of Hades:  powers of death.  In the Old Testament, gates suggest a fortified city (Genesis 22:17, 24:60; Isaiah 14:31).  By shattering its gates, Christ opens the stronghold of death to set free the souls of the righteous.  So also, the Church shall not be stopped in her proclamation of salvation.  The term church is mentioned only twice in all the gospels, here and in 18:17.  This Church is the true Israel and the Body of Christ; her citizenship is heavenly."

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.  A note here says that the phrase keys of the kingdom refers to a special authority that will be given to both Peter and the other apostles after the Resurrection (see 18:18; John 20:23).  It tells us that Peter wasn't a leader over the others but rather among them.  The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) where apostles and presbyters met as equals, where Peter advised but James presided, confirms this concept.  This role of Peter, we're advised, should neither be exaggerated nor diminished in opposition to these claims.  Binding and loosing, it says, refer primarily to the authority to "absolve sins" (according to John Chrysostom; see also John 20:23), but also includes the teaching, sacramental, and administrative authority of the apostles.  It is in the sense of this authority that from ancient times, the Church saw transmission to bishops which continues.

There is so much information in today's reading.  If we were reading a novel, it would be the moment that a great secret, a grand mystery, was revealed (perhaps affirmed), tying threads together to make sense from a much greater point of view of all that has happened before.  But in this case, since this is Christ about whom we're speaking, this new point of view is something that comes not from the "past" only, but a grand impact on the present and particularly on the future.  The reality of Christ intersects time in every sense, and it changes the entire world, making sense not only of the prophesies of the Scripture from the past, but determining and influencing so much of the future in every place in the world - in more ways than we can count or possibly consider.   In this sense, the reality of the Person of Christ is essential for us to understand not only to make sense of the past, but also the subsequent development of all kinds of things in the world, and even our own futures -- how we are to live our lives in ways that build something into the future, and in relation not to the world that we know alone, but to an entire cosmos.  God is human, God will die a horrible death, suffering with us -- and this God, who lived His life as Jesus, the Son of Man, is the cosmic ruler of a universe, beyond the limitations of time and space, the one who will indeed trample death so that the Gates of Hades do not prevail against His Church.  He invites us to this place with Him, in every sense of the ultimate and timeless reality we are invited to embrace and to enter into, as His child.  Let us consider this complete intersection of the infinite with the finite, and consider what it means that His identity could only be understood as revealed to human beings by the Father.  In Christ, human beings are graced with the "keys of the kingdom of heaven," and a great Rock is established.  We remain in that place where the paradox of this reality keeps giving us more, beyond all we know.