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

 

 "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."  My study Bible explains 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).  The rich man . . . was buried:  my study Bible notes that in patristic commentary this is seen as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, buried by the pleasures of the flesh.   St. John Chrysostom writes that he 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 is an indication that ultimately he is forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).  

"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.'"   My study Bible says that the rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected.  Instead, Abraham accepts this role, and calls the rich man son, and shows himself to be compassion even towards the most wretched of men.  This great gulf of which he speaks is not a geographical divide.  Rather it is indicative of the separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that is not overcome after death.  The torments he suffers don't change the rich man's heart, as he still sees Lazarus as a servant who exists for the sake of his own comfort.  Finally, my study Bible says, this account by Christ reveals the communion of the saints:  this man, not even a believer, calls out from Hades and has a conversation 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.' "  My study Bible says that some in the patristic tradition see this parable being set after the final judgment, and cite 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, as is seemingly evidenced by the man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  The torment he is experiencing would be simply a foretaste of his final state.  From such a perspective, we learn from Jesus' parable 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)  We learn also that the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but avail nothing (contrast this with 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 cites the commentary of 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."  Additionally, it notes that the rebellious were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15; John 12:9-11).

 

 It's very intriguing to think about what this parable from Jesus means, and the different ways the teachings included here might be applied.  In the Orthodox tradition, memorial prayers for the dead are offered at various intervals (traditionally every year on or near the anniversary of their deaths), especially by family members.  In our prayers for those who are deceased we pray for their memory, as intercession with the Lord, and, in particular something that is part of the analysis of this parable:  that their memory be eternal.  Memory is importantly connected with being itself, and with relationship.   We find the concept in Revelation of "the pit" -- essentially implying a bottomless sort of place that eventually leads to oblivion, or non-existence.  It is an image of hell out of which comes death and all manor of affliction and demonic presence, but ultimately everything and all associated with it go to perdition (Revelation 9:1-11; 11:7; 17:8, 20:1-3).  But what we may note about it is simply how it is linked to the function of memory which my study Bible notes about today's parable, seemingly indicating a time before final judgment, and why it may be important that we pray for the deceased.  For the indication of the communion of saints is strong here, and we are not the judges.  Instead we may pray, as we are instructed in the Lord's Prayer, for the forgiveness of sins, even interceding for those who have passed for our own sakes, as we may pray for their forgiveness as part of our own command for forgiveness (Matthew 6:12).  In so doing, we leave judgment up to God, and ourselves free of this unpaid "debt."  I have on two occasions known of those seemingly visited by deceased family members, who died under bad circumstances and conditions in their lives, requesting that the family member pray for them.  In my opinion, it is appropriate that our mercy extend to prayer -- for once again, we remind ourselves that we are not the judge and we also seek forgiveness in our lives.  Whatever one's point of view on this subject, it seems certain the parable indicates that, unlike life as it seems in this world, there is that great gulf between movement toward God, and that which makes a barrier to movement toward God, and that barrier itself is a lack of compassion. The parable ultimately is for the living, and once again, as it is told in the light of the approaching Cross and Christ's Passion, it is a strong warning to all about how we make use of our time in this world, before the time we pass to the mystery of what happens after death.  For it is while we are in this world that our own repentance can have the great effect of bridging this great gulf, and we can set ourselves on the right path by the practice of compassion.  See especially Christ's parable of Judgment, that of the Sheep and Goats, on the key importance of the practice of compassion  (Matthew 25:31-46).  Let us keep in mind that Jesus tells this parable in response to the Pharisees who deride Him regarding His teaching about the charitable sharing of wealth.  In this world we are given tools, a heart and mind and soul, intelligence, the capacity for action, and a wealth of opportunities for sharing all of the above with others in whatever capacity we are capable.  Ultimately we share love with others in many forms where it might be needed, a good encouraging word, some financial or other help.  It seems to me, at least in the United States where I live, that it is increasingly impossible for those of lower income to take part in what was once taken for granted in public life, as even museums, entertainments, or other public places of participation become more prohibitively expensive, especially for families with children, or those on fixed incomes.   Let us consider in this light what it means to build beauty in a church, in which all are welcome, including the poorest as part of the family whose home it is, whose father is Our Father, who also are under the family name of Christ.  For what is this parable about, if not about our home which is meant to be for all and by all?  Let us build our parishes with love.

 

 

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 bed 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 prophets were until John.  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."  Here is a contrast indeed, in terms of human life and the particular perspective of Jesus' place and time.  We remember that in recent readings Jesus dined in the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, where He taught about humility, and since that time He has been criticized as tax collectors and other sinners come to hear Him speak.  Responding to that criticism, He taught several parables, among them the parable of the Prodigal Son, who was reduced from great circumstances of personal wealth to feeding swine in a far off country, as low as one could get according to the culture, faith, and customs of the Jews.  Here in today's reading, the great contrast of this rich man and Lazarus the beggar recalls a world in which the luxuries of the Roman Empire were available to those with wealth (purple and fine linen, and sumptuous foods brought from far off via trade made possible by expanse of the Empire).  The daily existence of this rich man is extraordinary.  And then there is Lazarus, whose dream is simply to be fed with the crumbs which fell from this rich man's table.  On top of his humiliation in life, there is the further insult in that the dogs came and licked his sores.  These are not the little puppies or house dogs to which are referred as those who eat the children's crumbs under the table in the story of Jesus' encounter with the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).  These are the dogs of the streets and fields, an entirely negative image in the minds of Jesus' contemporaries.

"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.  The rich man also died and was buried."  My study bible explains that Abraham's bosom is heaven.  It notes 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 story Jesus tells says that the rich man . . . was buried is seen in patristic commentary as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, my study bible says, buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  It cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who explains 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."  We note also, strangely, that while Lazarus is named, the rich man is not.  This indicates that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6), not simply in a worldly sense, but a far more serious and profound spiritual one.

"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.'"  My study bible notes here that the rich man's appeal to Abraham as his spiritual father isn't rejected.  On the contrary, Abraham accepts the role, calling the rich man son and showing compassion even towards this man who has, essentially, built his hellish home through his own heartless behavior.  The great gulf fixed between the rich man and Lazarus isn't a geographical kind of separation.  Rather, according to my study bible, it illustrates the spiritual separation between virtue and wickedness.  The rich man is separated by his hardness of heart.  We note that the torments which the rich man is undergoing really haven't changed his heart.  My study bible points out that he still sees Lazarus as a kind of servant who exists for the sake of the rich man's own comfort.  Also illustrated in this parable we can find Christ's revelation of the communion of 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 contrasts differing patristic opinion regarding the setting of this parable.  Some see it as taking place after the final judgment, citing punishment and award received by the two men, the rich man and Lazarus, respectively.  But others view it as set at a time after death, although before the second coming of Christ, as the rich man begs on behalf of his brothers who are still living earthly lives.  In this perspective given by Christ in the parable, my study bible says, we learn that the souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those who are still alive on earth (see 9:30-31; Matthew 2:18; 2 Maccabees 15:12-16).  Also noted here is that while the intercessions of a wicked man are heart, they avail nothing (contrast with James 5:16).  Regarding the final statement of Abraham in the last verse, my study bible quotes the commentary of 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, those who reject such teachings for themselves -- and we remember that Jesus is still responding to the Pharisees -- were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15; John 12:9-11). 

 If we look at the lessons from Saturday's reading (above), Jesus seems to be teaching that no matter what the type of wealth is that we possess -- whether that be a talent, or intelligence, or worldly goods, all of it is given and belongs truly to God.  Therefore it is through God's righteousness that we must desire to operate in life, even in our purely worldly-seeming activities.  How does this work exactly?  The story of the rich man and Lazarus isn't necessarily about wealth, about the haves and have-nots in a conventional sense, except in a surface reading of the story.  In actuality, the story is about our hearts, about what we understand and what we fail to understand.  The rich man fails to live his life in the bigger picture, in terms of the ways that what Jesus calls the two great commandments would teach us to live.  First, to love God with all one's heart and soul and mind, and second, to love neighbor as oneself.  The first time we see the rich man actually loving another as himself is when he thinks of his five brothers, still living on earth, still apparently considering life as the rich man does -- all about the fulfillment of selfish desire.  He stops to think, finally, that someone must warn his brothers about what they need to consider, else they will pay the price that he is.  But it's still a kind of selfishness at work, as this is extended only to those whom he thinks of as part and parcel of himself and carrying his family name.   His repentance doesn't begin to touch the recesses of his own heart, where he truly needs to reconsider his life.  The great questions of repentance after life on this earth are those I personally prefer not to speculate about.  It's a great mystery to all of us what the Judgment of God is, what is truly in another's heart, and what God has prepared for God's creatures beyond what we understand of life on worldly terms.  But this story, as my study bible points out, does tell us several things as it is given by Jesus.  There is first of all the communion of saints, as Abraham and the rich man can communicate with one another, and as the rich man can clearly see Lazarus.  Lazarus, for his part, is now happily beyond the reach of the rich man and his arrogant attitude and commands, and presumably healing from his own distressing worldly life.  Hades, in the Greek, although there is disagreement among Church Fathers regarding when this parable is set, is not synonymous with hell (or what is often referred to as Gehenna in the New Testament).  It is rather the mysterious abode of all the dead.  Therefore there may be some purpose to the torment experienced by the rich man.  Like a guilty conscience, such torture or torment may be to the point of ancient forms of worldly justice, implied in the Greek word translated as torments, in which it serves as a form of testing regarding the true disposition of the heart and the commission of a crime.  Indeed, the real "crime" or sin here is hardness of heart, a kind of willful ignorance, which is directly linked to a lack of mercy and even the capacity for reconsideration or repentance.  The true knot in this story, rather than simply a tale about proper disposition of riches, is precisely the condition of the heart and our own capacities for repentance.  Indeed, if this were merely about rules for distribution of wealth, the Pharisees would have no problem with following the appropriately set and considered rules.  In Saturday's reading (above), Jesus says to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts."  It all comes down to this, the state of the heart.  Indeed, the rich man's state of his heart is what directly determines the torments he's experiencing; it is a symbolic profile of his choice midst the energies of God.   Perhaps Lazarus' own torments and humiliation on earth served to condition his heart in an entirely different way, and thus he now experiences life in the bosom of father Abraham.  The real question is, then, at what point are we incapable of change?  How far do we go along the road of personal selfishness before we don't even know how to turn ourselves around and face another direction?  Christ's teachings on the greatest commandments don't lead us directly to a kind of repentance in which we simply fix rules of wealth distribution.  Rather, true repentance starts with the love of God.  We need a model, a communion, a relationship with what is truly good in order to become ourselves a part of that good and come to know what it is.  Perhaps, in fact, only God has the power to effect such change, through grace.  But apparently even that, at least at some mysterious level, needs our consent regarding the state of our own hearts.  From there we can may practice love of neighbor as oneself.  It is a long learning curve, but it begins with opening the heart to the one place we can find the energies which torment this man, and seek to ally ourselves with God and dwell in peace in that place, sharing this substance with others.  Where does your love of God start?  To what does it lead you?   It is a long road of learning and growth, with a far horizon always in sight.

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 them, '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."  My study bible tells us that "Abraham's bosom" means heaven.  We note the difference between the two men, the rich man and Lazarus.  Lazarus is ultimately even more greatly humiliated by the dogs licking his sores.

"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.'"  My study bible reminds us that this conversation is not between God and the rich man, but between Abraham and the rich man.  We again note the contrast, only the situation is reversed.  The poor man Lazarus wanted only the crumbs from the wealthy man's table in this world, and the dogs licked his wounds.  Here the wealthy man desires that Lazarus may dip the tip of his finger in water for a drop to cool his tongue, and is tormented by flame.

" '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 says, "A great gulf between Lazarus and the rich man signifies there is no possibility of transfer between heaven and hell after death.  It should also be noted that neither poverty nor riches, in themselves, gain Lazarus and the rich man their irreversible places.  The rich man goes to hell because of his hardness of heart; Lazarus to heaven because of his faith."  In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us the contrast between the true riches of the Kingdom and mammon, and the different perspectives they create for us on how we relate to others, depending on what it is we ultimately trust in.  Here, the "great gulf" indicates that while all live side by side in this world, ultimately that will not be the case.   The time is now, the message tells us, for taking care how we relate one to another.

"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 them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  A note reads, "Moses and the prophets, that is, the Old Testament Scriptures which testify to God."

Let us consider this "great gulf" that exists between Lazarus and the rich man after death, and my study bible's note about "transfer."  It's an interesting thing to ponder communication and dialogue.  While we're in the world, as the parable of the wheat and the tares tells us (see Matthew 13:24-30), we're all side by side.  We don't really know the Judgment, this isn't up to us.  But how we communicate with one another, how we relate to one another, becomes for us a matter of choice.  And Jesus' recent teachings (including yesterday's reading) give us the understanding that so much depends on what it is that we trust in, which riches we put our faith in.  Do we value the riches of the Kingdom, which are linked with values like love and care, love for God and trust in God, or do we value a material perspective, trust in material wealth (the mammon in yesterday's reading)?  This is really what it comes down to.  The wealthy man basically trusted in his wealth to care for his life, and didn't care for other "wealth" -- the treasures of the kingdom -- to trust in, like, for example, how he treated Lazarus who was right outside his door.  When the time comes and we move on into "another place" to put it a certain way, then the implication is that there won't be a capability for going back and changing these relationships or doing them over again;  what we've failed to build up in the world we'll lack in the next somehow -- or at least the opportunity for healing particular relationships just won't be the same.  We will be living different lives than the ones we live in the here and now.  We don't really know all that entails, but elsewhere in the Gospels we're given hints of this change, such as Jesus' teaching on marriage in the afterlife, given in answer to a question about a woman who was married to seven brothers.  Jesus taught:  "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Therefore we learn of changed conditions; eternal life is implied here, and a different life in which marriage as a social institution is not the same -- and especially the notion of women's role in marriage at that time.  (In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the teaching against divorce, reflecting a different value system for relationship than one of possession.)  So, in addition to these hints, the story of Lazarus and the rich man enforces an understanding of the gulf between those who attain one place, and those who fail to do so.  Whatever way we think of it, it is certain that the life to come, the age to come, is one in which all is changed; our circumstances are changed and it becomes the values of the Kingdom which rule our lives, one way or the other depending on how we have embraced such treasure, where we've placed our faith.  Jesus, through this parable, is emphasizing what He taught in yesterday's reading:   "You cannot serve God and mammon  . . . what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."  The great gulf is in this teaching; let us remember how we apply His values and how we are to live.  The question, answered in Luke's Gospel in a unique way, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, begs to be asked, "Who is my neighbor?"

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 Saturday's reading, we read that Jesus continued to teach His disciples, just after He taught the parable of the Unjust Steward:   "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."  The contrast between the two in this story is clear and vivid.  We get a picture of the rich man; he doesn't just live well:  he's clothed in purple (an extremely expensive and rare dye, affordable usually to nobility, the recipe for the finest of which remained a jealously guarded secret for centuries) and fine linen, and "fared sumptuously" not just often but every day.  It's interesting to contrast this picture of wealth and extravagance with the extravagance in an earlier reading in this series of Jesus' discourses, the Prodigal Son.  The beggar Lazarus is as destitute and poorly off, as frightening a spectacle as the rich man is extravagant and sumptuous:  not only is he full of sores, dining off crumbs, but is tended to by dogs in the street -- a sad image for us today, and worse in a culture that saw dogs in a very negative light.

" 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.

"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.' "  This parable is a kind of testimony to the communion of saints, and it's interesting that even in this wide gulf between Hades where the rich man is tormented by a flame, and Abraham in heaven, there is a kind of communication.  But the rich man doesn't appeal to God; the conversation is between he and Abraham, his holy ancestor.

"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 says, "A great gulf between Lazarus and the rich man signifies there is no possibility of transfer between heaven and hell after death.  It should also be noted that neither poverty nor riches, in themselves, gain Lazarus and the rich man their irreversible places.  The rich man goes to hell because of his hardness of heart; Lazarus to heaven because of his humble faith." 

"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.'"  Moses and the prophets, says my study bible, "are the Old Testament Scriptures which testify to God."

Let's remember that Jesus is speaking to the leadership, the Pharisees, who, Luke tells us, were lovers of money.  Jesus has been criticized for dining with sinners, and in response told the parable of the Prodigal Son.  He then taught His disciples the parable of the Unjust Steward, before teaching in Saturday's reading, "You cannot serve God and mammon."  For this teaching, He was derided by the Pharisees.  He replied to them that "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."  But in today's parable, Jesus is showing the consistency of Old Testament Scripture with His own teachings, and the more powerful and emphatic message He brings for God's law.  Although John was the last of the prophets, and Christ reveals the Kingdom, He's acting in the lineage of the Scriptures the Pharisees know, yet they will not believe Him either, though He return from the dead.  We see the message directed at the leadership, but of course it's also directed to us.  We are also informed in Scripture, and by One who rose from the dead.  So we have our choice, as well.  For the Pharisees, He's telling them very clearly as He's said elsewhere, they can't rely on their ancestor, on their lineage.  Choice for each of us is a very specific thing.  The very hairs on our heads are numbered.  What looks "good" to us isn't what looks good by the standards of the Kingdom.  Moreover, our own practice of mercy acts as a sort of conditional leverage for our spiritual position.  Can we see beyond what we taste, see, feel, touch and know apart from what's in our hearts?  Is there more to life than this, that also unites us with others in relation to the world around ourselves?  This is the question Jesus asks, that the Pharisees are called to, that all the Scripture points to, and that He Himself asks each of us, even as He is the One risen from the dead to ask it of us.  Let us remember that wealth and poverty and suffering come in all kinds of forms, as does mercy.