Reach Out

Gospel, Luke 16:19-31

 'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day.

 And at his gate there used to lie a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores,

who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man's table. Even dogs came and licked his sores.

Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham's embrace. The rich man also died and was buried.

 'In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his embrace.

So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames."

Abraham said, "My son, remember that during your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony.

But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours."

 'So he said, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house,

 since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too."

Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them."

 The rich man replied, "Ah no, father Abraham, but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent."

Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."

***

Lazarus was a man of humility while the rich man was a man of greed. The former had nothing to eat and was covered with sores and untidy clothes; while the latter was clothed in fine linen and had bountiful to eat. Everyday, we're given ample of chances to encounter someone like Lazarus to fervently ask from us something that could lift them up and ease their troubles. That Lazarus could be any members of our family, a former classmate, a friend, an acquaintance, or even an enemy. Meeting people like them tells us a message that we're here on earth to be servants of those in need in the name of the Lord and bring back the glory unto Him. As servants, we should not do the same thing the rich man did unto Lazarus. The moment we die, we don't want to hear from the Lord something like "My son, remember that during your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony." Right?

There is this person whom I really admire. I was moved when the knowledge came to me that from now on, he's going to sponsor the transportation expense of one of my co-working student in school who, really struggles a lot nowadays in spite having a full scholarship. That person made that decision without hesitation and with happiness in his heart because he is that humble and generous.

We all desire to be fed beyond what a mere food could offer us. We're all vying to be in Heaven and be with the Father. The challenge to us now is: when we meet people someone like Lazarus in our lives, how do we welcome them? Do we also let them long for food that drops from our table just like what the rich man did in today's Gospel? Or do we personally approach and invite them to dine with us?