|
LINK TO SCRIPTURE READINGS
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
Lying at his door was Lazarus, a poor man covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died, angels carried him to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. From the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and seeing Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus received what was bad; now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you, there is a great chasm to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.'"
Luke 16:19-31
In any culture, in any era, a “Rich Person” has the following advantages:
•Wealth/ Property
•Status/ Respect
•Security/ Safety Nets
•Clout/ Influence
•Connections (social, political, professional, religious, etc.)
•Subordinates/ Servants
•Luxurious lifestyle
•Access to the best of everything, including health care, education, entertainment, “expensive toys,” natural resources, etc.
•Multiple options
In contrast, in any culture, in any era, a “Poor Person” has the following disadvantages:
•Lack of Wealth/ Property
•Lack of Status/ Respect
•Lack of Security/ Safety Nets
•Lack of Clout/ Influence
•Lack of Connections
•Lack of Helpers/ Resources
•Lack of Basic Necessities, including food, shelter, clothing, transportation, employment, etc.
•Lack of access to health care, education, entertainment, natural resources, etc.
•Lack of options.
In his parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus not only points out this great chasm between the rich and the poor, but also calls out the Pharisees for their failure to see the humanity of those less fortunate than themselves. Self-indulgent, self-righteous, and well-fed, the religious elite of his day feel entitled to their riches; despite their "holier than thou" attitudes, however, they fail to observe the fundamental mandate of Judaism-- love of God and neighbor. In critiquing the Pharisees, Jesus is speaking to anyone who observes the outward trappings of religion but is oblivious to the world's agony-- and that includes his own followers.
Sadly, what passes for Christianity today often props up the rich while persecuting the poor. Quoting scripture selectively and out of context, the proponents of this Christianity defend their biases and self-serving policies, believing prosperity to be a sign of Divine endorsement. But a Christianity that turns its back on The Beatitudes is no longer Christian; Christians who are blind to the presence of the Incarnate Christ in the Lazaruses of this world are no longer disciples. And a Christianity that preaches war, revenge, hatred, and discrimination distorts the Word of God and grieves the Holy Spirit.
So how do we bridge this "great divide" between the rich and the poor, the teachings of Jesus and the "Christianity" of the elite? If we return to the two lists at the beginning of this reflection, it is clear how to reconcile the two:
- As Christians, the wealthy are called to be more generous with their resources, creating policies and programs that will allow the "have-nots" opportunities for advancement.
- As Christians, those who enjoy security and safety nets are called to protect the most vulnerable in our midst.
- As Christians, those with status and influence are called to become advocates for the voiceless, using their connections to find just solutions for social problems.
- As Christians, those with access to necessities such as healthcare and education are called to create pathways of inclusion for those lacking access.
- As Christians, those with options are called to open possibilities for those accustomed only to dead ends.
There are some who might say that this attempt to bridge the great divide is a form of Communism; the early Christians, however, followed Jesus by sharing all things in common (Acts 2: 42-47). And there are those who would say that it constitutes "woke Christianity" -- in which case, Jesus himself is "woke" since all the principles listed above are based on his teachings. The challenge for each of us is to recognize that, 1) whether we like to admit it or not, we all participate in unjust structures; and 2) Christian discipleship always asks us to do more rather than less.
"Let us begin to do good, for as yet we have done little."
St. Francis of Assisi
+++
| 
