Today’s Gospel (Luke 16:19-31) is the Parable about Lazarus, a poor man, and the rich man who ignored him while he himself lived and ate well. The majority report sees this Parable as reminding us of our responsibility to the poor, which is something we have to take seriously if we really want to live as Jesus’ disciples. More is falling on our shoulders as government support is going away.
As usual, the minority report can say different things to us depending on what is going on in our life when we hear or read the Parable. The atmosphere of nastiness, polarization and violence all around us is increasing, and this is the setting and filter through which we process this Gospel Parable in our here and now, today. For many the issues become very emotional, and often center on personalities. While I might have my own feelings and come to my own conclusions, I cannot say what the Parable “should” mean for others, although the converse doesn’t seem to be true.
Jesus used parables to shock his listeners out of their usual way of thinking. What is he saying to me? The last line of the Parable is a zinger: “neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead”. This obvious reference to Jesus strongly suggests that somebody is trying to say something to me. My reaction hints that it might be something I don’t want to hear. As I watch the news of the bad stuff happening this week, I’m wondering who am I in the Parable. Am I the rich man, am I Lazarus, am I the dogs taking care of Lazarus? Am I Abraham? If I see myself as Lazarus, well then . . . looking at this can be quite a surprise. The Parable doesn’t say Lazarus felt sorry for himself. Something for me to think about here.
If I see myself as the rich man, did he even know Lazarus was sitting at his gate every day, or who he was? This begs the worthwhile question: who am I treating in my life today the way the rich man treated Lazarus in the Parable? Is there anyone I am ignoring for whatever reason? The Parable reminds me that I need to be aware of what is going on around me, the signs of the times. I need to accept reality as it is whether or not I like it, because it is in this reality that I find Abba. And accept others as they are, whether or not I agree with any of their positions on the many questions. May I be open to the Spirit as I go through my day, so I can be aware of my own biases and weaknesses, and more firmly keep asking, Abba, what are you saying to me in all this? Is there something you are asking me to do here? Are you trying to tell me something I don’t want to hear? Everybody in my life here and now has the right to be in my life and the need to be in my life, as I do in theirs, because in Abba’s loving providence, we need each other. The same is true for all the circumstances and events in my life. How do I live this? It can be a steep climb.
As I’m writing this the geese are flying noisily right next to my balcony, so close that I can hear their wings flapping as they “talk” with each other. Creation is Abba happening. The geese this morning are Abba happening. The people I met in the supermarket yesterday are Abba happening. The people I will meet today as I go about my business are Abba happening. Are there any people in my life that I am treating the way the rich man treated Lazarus? No doubt there are. And as the rich man seemed to know little about Lazarus, and so ignored him, who are the Lazarus people in my life today? If I know, I may have to make some changes in my life, so do I really want to know?
As the geese are reminding me, the more we know about creation, all of it, the more insight we have into Abba, who is the source of all creation. Prayer can lead us to be aware of creation as an ongoing act of love and self-revelation in which Abba is putting Abba’s self into all creation, not only what we refer to as nature, but into each of us, into me too as I sit here typing. As I try to be aware of and open to everybody in my life, I might see this as an opportunity to recognize the infinite variety of creation, which reflects the infinite variety of Abba. It seems that as the insights happen, we find that often there are no words to describe what they are, only a gradual awareness of a previously unknown realization.
Everybody who is in my life here and now has the right to be in my life and the need to be in my life, as I do in theirs, because in Abba’s loving providence, we need each other. The same is true for all the circumstances and events in my life. In our tradition we don’t seek to understand something so we can believe in it. We believe first and then ask for the gift of understanding. Believing takes me out of my comfort zone, often in directions and to places I would not of myself choose. And this is happening every day.
This past week I’ve had the privilege of being with some wonderful folks, all of whom are dealing with their own rough spots. Health issues, jobs, security, conscience. Some are making courageous decisions. Others are just trying to do their best, which may entail making decisions with courage nobody will ever guess. Every one of us is where we need to be to recognize Abba in our life. For some of us it may be in coming to know our own Lazarus person, even our Lazarus experience.
For any of this awareness to happen in my life, I have to choose to be open, and willing to go wherever it takes me. The Welcome Prayer is a profound, even liberating, gift and experience. It certainly has been so for me. It leads me beyond my need for control and comfort, which is especially helpful these days. Just sayin . . .