Showing posts with label Lazarus and Dives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lazarus and Dives. Show all posts

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Judgement



Did you go to Mass today or failing that, some kind of worship service? If you went liturgical chances are you heard the parable of the rich man, Dives, and Lazarus from Luke's Gospel. You know the story.

Dives dies and goes to Hell and Lazarus, the poor man, ends up in heaven. In agony, the rich man asks Abraham for mercy, "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." 

All to no avail, the Patriarch refuses because a "great chasm is fixed between you and us" such that the redeemed can't journey to Hell or the damned set up in Paradise.

It sounds harsh but on reflection describes a terrifying spiritual reality. There is no place for Heaven in Hell or Hell in Heaven and our actions on earth determine the trajectory. The rich man made his choice, feasting while the Lazarus lay at the gate begging for food. 

Devoid of mercy, love and compassion, the rich man went to perdition and note, even while begging for mercy he never once repents of his wickedness. Instead, he asks Abraham to send the person he scorned and ignored in life, Lazarus, to come to him as a servant. Dives' evil disposition remains with him into eternity, amplified.

Serious business and it forces us to consider the judgement that awaits us all. Gregory of Nyssa writes:

As the most excellent of mirrors represents an image of the face, just such as the face that is opposite to it, a joyful image of that which is joyful, a sorrowful of that which is sorrowful, so also is the just judgement of God adapted to our dispositions.

The most excellent of mirrors. Ask yourself, what will the Divine Reality reflect to a generation which countenances killing their babies in the final trimester, much less selling their beating hearts to biotech companies for profit?

For that matter, how will it reflect our own?

Here endeth the Lesson,

LSP

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Torrential Rain and Mammon



Driving to the second Mass of the day was a bit of a deal because of torrential rain. Who wants to hydroplane across HWY 22 in the downpour? So I took it slow and wore a pair of Wellington boots to keep my 1% inside-the-beltway loafers dry.

In the sacristy I pointed to the boots and asked our MC, who's a renowned bronc champion, if he liked my "new church shoes." He shook his head.

"It's not that bad out there."
"Well c'mon, it was pretty much zero-viz coming up from the compound."
"Look. I'm not interested in your sad little stories, LSP."
"Yeah, said the rich man. You can't serve God and Mammon."


Wellingtons

And that's what the sermon was about, with reference to Dives and Lazarus. Note that the former isn't named in the Gospel, he's nameless and accordingly not written into the book of life. "I do not know you," says Christ, elsewhere, and, "Depart from me ye cursed, into the lake of eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you did not feed me."


A Random Fish

No, the rich man was too busy enjoying the mammonistic gravy train to love God or his neighbor and accordingly found his way to perdition, which is separated from heaven by a great chasm.

Don't Worship This

Some say the god of our age is Mammon. I'd think twice before you pledge allegiance to that particular deity.

God bless,

LSP