Ironies of the Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Homily for Thursday of the Second Week in Lent

Nowadays, it is not unusual to hear someone say, “I am blessed.” The irony of that statement lies in the fact that when someone says that, they might be referring to the fact that they have a good life, a comfortable life. As we listen to the Scriptures today, it is obvious that that is not the meaning of the word “blessed” from a biblical perspective.

In the passage from the Book of Jeremiah, we read, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD.” In response to that reading, we prayed with Psalm 1 which states, “Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked. . . but delights in the law of the LORD.”

When we read the story of the rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day, I am sure that there are many people who would say that he was blessed. Yes, he had all that the world could give, fine clothing, and rich, juicy food like that which was served on the mountain of the Lord. However, as the Gospel goes on to tell us, after he died, he found himself in the netherworld while the poor man who lay on his doorstep every day rested in the bosom of Abraham.

The Gospel writers frequently use irony to make their point. However, there are two ironies in this particular Gospel passage which are particularly powerful. We are told that the dogs of the neighborhood used to come and lick the sores of this poor man. While the notion may be particularly abhorrent to us, it is clear that this would have brought a little comfort in the sufferings of this man. While no one else in the Gospel reading seems to recognize Lazarus as a human being, the dogs offer him more solace and comfort in his pain. They treat him more “humanly” than his fellow human beings.

As ironic as that is, the end of the story is even more so. The rich man calls out to Abraham and tells him that if someone were to return from the dead and warn his brothers, they might avoid the punishment that he is experiencing in the netherworld. Of course, someone has returned from the dead; someone has warned us all that we will be judged on how well we treat our neighbors. Yet the chasm between rich and poor grows deeper by the day.

The rich man’s status, comforts, wealth, and possessions lay so prominently in his field of vision that he could not see anything else. Now that he finds himself in the netherworld, he finally recognizes Lazarus. Of course, he could not have recognized him as he lay in the bosom of Abraham if he had not already seen him laying at his doorstep. While there are those who will claim that this rich man did nothing wrong, it is clear that he is guilty of neglecting the needs of his brother. While some may call is a sin of omission, the Gospel is clear that this is a sin of commission.

May we count ourselves among those who are truly blessed, among those who put their trust in the Lord, among those who place their hope in the Lord.