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   The plaintive cry of the Psalmist permeates all of St. Luke’s record of our Lord’s words. “O Lord, I have trusted in Thy mercy.” That, dear friends, is the life and light of the poor beggar named Lazarus—that is his Gospel, his trust and hope, and yours as well.

   Take note. Lazarus is no hero and the unnamed rich man is no villain. This is not morality play or an heroic adventure. This is life. If it was a parable, which every time I this account I think less that it is; this story of theirs is also a story for you; for you and for everyone else on this dying world.

   You have heard this text preached on in many homilies—yearly—and you know the salient points:

• The unbelieving pagans who die in unbelief do not even have their names remembered by God—the God who is omniscient and knows all things.
• The damned go to a place of “torments”—even before the final judgment—in “flame” craving even just a drop of water on the tip of their tongue.
• Those, Lazarus, and our departed loved ones, in Abraham’s bosom do not see those in hell but are comforted by receiving “good things”—even before the final resurrection of all flesh.
• Those, in Hades “see” (whatever that means) and know where they are, and see Abraham; Abraham being both the Patriarch and also a representative of the abode of temporary peace.
• There is no going from the one place to the other. There is no change in one’s final destination once earthly death comes.

  Well, you believe all this; I hope you do. But then you move on down the road, shake my hand at the end of the Mass, and prepare your coffee for Bible Class.

   You even no how I usually close the sermon for this pericope—hearkening to, and harping upon, the great final verses and the efficacy of The Full Gospel found in The Old Testament—the Hebrew scriptures—the only Bible that existed when Jesus was talking. To wit: “but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and The Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

   Well, you might not start reading the Old Testament even with my cajoling…but the word “dead” might get your attention, especially if you are a bit older than a teen or young twenty-something. All men die—the Word of The Lord. Good men, there are no good die. Bad men, sinners, die.

It is fortuitous that my daily reading through ‘A Year With The Church Fathers’ (CPH) had me reading King Solomon’s magnificent Ecclesiastes this week while I worked with this text. If you ever think about good deeds borne from faith, bad deeds generated from evil rejection of Jesus, or just everyday deeds done by everyone…and the futility of any of them to save—to keep one out of hell—please for your sakes, go home and read Ecclesiastes.  This entire sermon could be filled with quotes from that book of Wisdom—Wisdom being The Holy Spirit giving Christ.

  One more bullet point that you all know, i.e., believe, teach, and confess:

• Lazarus is saved by faith, given to him through The Word (O.T.) by God’s grace and mercy; the rich man is damned by disbelief, unbelief, rejection of Jesus and of mercy. Sharing wealth or hoarding one’s resources is not the cause, only the symptom, an outward demonstration to others watching.

 There may well have been times when the rich man was not a miser. There may have been times when Lazarus, when he had things (anything) did not share. Hats off to the rich man and shame on Lazarus. But that is not the point.

   The point is Jesus. The good news is Jesus. Not Jesus as a wise and great teacher, philosopher, healer, or unifying force for the brotherhood of man; Jesus as God in The Flesh, keeping Torah for you when you do not—when you cannot; paying for your trespasses by His bitter suffering and innocent death on the cross!

   You are going to die. I do not like that and you certainly do not like that. Your loved ones die and Jesus does not like that. Blame yourself; blame Satan. But when at last the end comes, those who die like the rich man—obdurate, stubborn, ‘know-it-all’ agnostics and stupid atheists, will join the rich man. You who die as a miserable beggar trusting in your Lord Jesus—your God—will join the blessed St. Lazarus.  Thank-you Jesus for your Grace and Mercy upon these your tender sheep. Thank you for the faith Your Holy Ghost has worked in their hearts.

   And, read Ecclesiastes.

In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost

 

 

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