The story is told of a king who placed a heavy stone on the road and then hid and watched to see who would remove it. Men of various classes came and worked their way around it, some loudly blaming the king for not keeping the highways clean, but all dodging the duty of getting it out of the way. At last a poor peasant on his way to town with his burden of vegetables for sale came and contemplating the stone, laid down his load and rolled the stone into the gutter. Then turning around, he spied a purse that had been buried right under the stone. He opened it and found it full of gold pieces with a note from the king saying that it was for the one who should remove the stone.
The readings of today tell a tale similar to the one we have just heard - that of "dodging our duty" In the first reading, the prophet Amos warns the people that their major sin was their separation from the concern for their neighbor. They were "dodging the duty" of caring for the poor. Amos prophecies that these idle rich who had first received Israel's bounty would also be the first to be exiled and experience deportation.
Luke's Gospel similarly, expresses deep concern for the poor and the underdog. Luke portrays Jesus as a friend of sinners and outcasts. In today’s Gospel, Luke has Jesus teaching his disciples and the Pharisees through the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Prior to this too, Jesus has taught them through many parables but now draws their attention towards almsgiving and the necessity of sharing possessions with the needy. This is in accordance with God's will and contrasts with the vice of greed.
The Gospel describes the characters of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man lived luxuriously, feasting daily lavishly thereby breaking the fourth commandment of working six days and keeping the Sabbath holy. He idly indulged himself, feasting daily. Lazarus, on the other hand, was so helpless that he could not even keep the dogs away.
In those days, food was eaten with hands as there were no spoons, etc. Hands were then wiped on chunks of bread and these were thrown away to the dogs. It was for this that Lazarus awaited at the gate of the rich man. And the rich man did not grudge it to him. He did not push him away from the gate. Nor did he kick him when passing or be deliberately cruel to him. There also is no indication that the rich man was morally wrong or Lazarus morally right
What then, was the rich man's sin? It was that "he never noticed" Lazarus. He accepted him as "part of the landscape" thinking it perfectly natural that Lazarus should be in pain and he in luxury. So, it was NOT WHAT HE DID, but, WHAT HE DID NOT DO, that got him into hell. I am sure he must have seen Lazarus' suffering and in pain everyday as he went out of his gate, but he had no grief or pity for him. I am sure he must have seen the hunger and need every day out of his place, but DID NOTHING about it. In simple words He "dodged his duty" of caring for Lazarus and landed into hell.
The readings teach us that we receive in order to bless others. Failure to give and care invites a measure for measure punishment. On the other hand, the poor who should have received and did not would receive a measure for measure reward. So it was that Lazarus, like the poor farmer in our story, received a "bag of gold", a lifetime of feasting at the table of the Lord.
In our daily lives, as we travel to & fro, we come across numerous people - suffering, depraved, hungry, cold - begging at our railway stations, traffic junctions, street corners, gates of our Churches. Some of us, good conscientious Catholics give alms to charity - St. Vincent de Paul, Missionaries of Charity, Campaign for Hunger & Disease, etc. But, we also pass by many beggars on the roads. We don't notice them, for they are "part of our landscape". Poverty is their lot and well-being is ours. We go to Church, "hear" Mass and return home UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve the lot of our poor neighbors. Perhaps, we "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
In our daily lives, in our homes, workplaces, parishes, neighborhoods, society, we meet and relate with family and friends, colleagues, neighbors, children, adults, young and old. They have manifold needs - love, acceptance, a smile, a warm hug, a handshake, an encouraging word, a gentle look, a listening ear, a patient attitude, a quiet presence, a helping hand, accompaniment, a whispered prayer, etc. We are blessed by God with all this that we may bless others. But, there is NO TIME since deadlines are to be met, meetings to be attended, teachings to be given, egos to be fed, pride to be nurtured. We DO NOT NOTICE our emotionally and spiritually poor brothers & sisters. They are "part of our landscape". We are UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve their lot. They turn to drugs and other escape routes. We "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
Today's readings challenge us to move out of ourselves and be spurred on to action, to NOT MERELY EXIST but, to REALLY LIVE, to be moved to noticing and caring for our neighbors. For, in our daily lives, we do not EXIST with OBJECTS but, LIVE with PEOPLE. Then we will hear, "As much as you did it to one of these my brethren, you did it to me. Well-done, good and faithful servant. Welcome into my kingdom". AMEN.
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