Luke 16:19-31 (New International Version):  The Rich Man and Lazarus

 ¹⁹"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.  ²²"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

 ²⁵"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

 ²⁷"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, ²⁸for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' ²⁹"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' ³⁰" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'  ³¹"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

In a sermon based on this passage, dated “January of 388 or 389”, St. John Chrysostom taught: 

 “This is also theft, not to share one’s possessions.  Perhaps this statement seems surprising to you, but do not be surprised.  I shall bring you testimony form the divine Scriptures, saying that not only the theft of others’ goods but also the failure to share one’s goods is theft and swindles and defraudations... by the prophet God says, “The earth has brought forth her her increase and you have not brought forth your tithes; the theft of the poor is in you houses.”… He says this to show the rich that they hold the goods of the poor even if they have inherited them from their fathers or no matter how they gathered their wealth.”

“The poor man has one plea - his want and his standing in need.  Do not require anything else from him, but even if he is the most wicked of all men and is at a loss for his necessary sustenance, let us free him from hunger…the almsgiver is a harbor for those in necessity.  A harbor receives all those who have encountered shipwreck and frees them from danger; whether they are bad or good or whatever they are who are in danger, it escorts them into its own shelter. So you likewise, when you see on earth the man who encountered the shipwreck of poverty, do not judge hem, do not seek an account of his life, but free him from his misfortune”   (gleaned from Context, a theological newsletter, April 2008). 

Read the Scripture passage and section from St. John Chrysostom’s sermon slowly and prayerfully.  Pay attention to your reaction to the words – what might God be saying to you? 

Some questions for reflection:

• Do I see all that I have as a gift?  Do I understand my responsibility to share with those in need, not only because it’s kind but also as a matter of justice?
• When have I found a ‘safe harbor’ in the love, care, acceptance, or assistance of another?
• Who is calling me to be for them a ‘safe harbor’ right now?
• Am I comfortable with the amount of time, talent, and treasure that I share with those in need?
• What do you think the reaction to St. John’s sermon was when he gave it?  What is your reaction to his words?
• Looking at the passage from Luke, which character in the story do you most identify with?
• What is the sin of the rich man?  How does that sin speak to your life?
• For what are you grateful today?  How has God been manifest in your experiences of sharing with others and having others share with you?

Lenten Retreat

Session One:  Temptation and Trust

We have entered the season of Lent.   Last Wednesday we smeared ourselves with ashes, being reminded once again, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.”  Not the most comforting words one might imagine, but also something profound and true in them.   On the first Sunday of Lent our opening prayer (also called a collect) recalled that Jesus Christ was “tempted in every way we are”. 

Luke 4: 1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.  He ate noting during those days and when they were over he was very hungry.  The devil said to him, “If you are the son God, command these stones to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘people do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’”. Then he took Jesus up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.  The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.  All this will be yours if you worship me.”  Jesus said t o him in reply, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God alone; Him shall you serve.’”  Then he led Jesus to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you.’ And, ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot upon a stone.’” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Take a few moments and read the passage above.  Read is slowly two or three times.  As you read, does anything stand out in your mind’s eye?  Are you moved by any particular word, phrase, or visual image?  Does the passage comfort you?  Challenge you?  Intrigue you?

Temptations come to us in many ways.  In terms of my own life of faith, I must always watch for the temptation to be right, to be in control, and to be successful.  To me these are areas where I struggle to let go and be reminded that “it’s not all about me”.    We can all think about our own temptations and areas where God is inviting us to “let go”. 

It’s interesting to note that by the third temptation, the devil is quoting Scripture to Jesus!  We must be careful that as we seek to know the will of God in our lives and as we seek to learn about Jesus and grow in faith and spend more time with the Scriptures that we not mold those endeavors and that living relationship into one that suits our own agenda.

Today:  Let’s take some time to ask ourselves:  what are the temptations in my life?  Where do I seek security, comfort, and peace?    In what area of my life today do I most need to be reminded that ‘it’s not about me’?