Episode Transcript
[00:00:12] Speaker A: Welcome to the Blessed Sacrament Homilies podcast where our mission is to help everyone recognize and experience the presence of God. We hope you are nourished and encouraged by the Word. Thank you for joining us.
The Lord be with you and with your spirit.
[00:00:29] Speaker B: Reading from the Holy Gospel according to.
[00:00:31] Speaker A: Luke Glory to you, O Lord Jesus.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Said to the Pharisees, there was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying in his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried. And from the netherworld where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
And 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 likewise received what was bad.
But now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you, a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.
He said, then I beg you, Father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them lest they too come to this place of torment.
But Abraham replied, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.
He said, oh no, Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.
Then Abraham said, if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.
The Gospel of the Lord.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:03:01] Speaker B: Have you ever had someone say something like this or similar to you?
Hey, what are you doing Sunday afternoon?
It can be a two edged sword.
It can be something truly great.
What they could be asking was, guess what? I've got tickets to a luxury box at Ford Field for today's Lions Cleveland game. You want to go?
Or it could be, hey, I need help moving a piano. Can you help me do that?
I hate those kind of questions because you never know how to answer or how to react.
There's two sides that are possible.
Well, virtually every example and story that Jesus shares in scripture have two possibilities to them depending on our life, how we've lived that life, and what we need at the particular time we hear them.
And this particular gospel is a perfect example of that, because part of it, at least for me, is a cautionary tale.
I better recognize how blessed I've been and not be stingy with the gifts that have been shared with me, because eventually there will be a time where I no longer have an ability to share them with the world, and I'll be held accountable for that.
The other side of the story, though, is a recognition that in those times where I have struggled, where I have suffered, where I have felt on the outside looking in, I need to remember that Jesus is the ultimate comforter.
And that while I may not always experience that comfort here and now, living eternally in him will definitely offer that comfort and peace to me.
And one of my favorite parts, if not my favorite part of our funeral liturgy, is at the very end, right before we are dismissed, when we sing what's known as a song of farewell.
May the angels welcome you to paradise.
And one of the verses in there actually comes from this gospel.
And the verse goes like this, where Lazarus is no longer poor.
And that one every time gets me just a little bit choked up, remembering that in Christ, all of those things that have been such heavy burdens on our lives are washed clean.
And we are given absolutely everything we have ever desired.
And those people whose lives we are celebrating and remembering at that funeral, all of their suffering and pain is no more resting in Christ's love.
I'm guessing each one of us gathered here, this particular gospel hits us on both sides.
That cautionary tale that we need to remember we've been gifted and willing to share those gifts.
And that comforting tale that in Christ's love we find all that we need.
