26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Sunday 25th September 2016)
When faith and charity are joined together, they also bring us hope – (Luke 16:19-31)
Jesus tells a story about two men with very different experiences in life, and very different experiences after death. There is the unnamed rich man who dressed in fine linen and feasted every day. At the opposite end of the spectrum we find the poor man covered in sores named Lazarus. Good things came the way of the rich man whereas bad things came to Lazarus. After they died, however, the rich man was tormented and Lazarus was comforted.
Every story told by Jesus is meant to challenge us. He wants us to identify with the characters and learn from their experiences. With this story, however, it may be difficult to know which of the two men we find easier to connect with. Few of us dress in fine linen and feast everyday. At the same time, few of us live in such poverty that dogs come and lick our sores. Most people fall somewhere between these extremes, enjoying many good things while also knowing what it is like to experience some degree of hardship. Perhaps, therefore, we can learn something from both these men.
The good things that come our way in life can be accepted as a gift from the Lord. However, we must be careful not to allow material comforts to kill the life of charity within us. The rich man was not necessarily a wicked or evil person (when he recognised his fault his immediate reaction was to reach out and save others from making the same mistake). He may not have deliberately set out to inflict harm on those less fortunate than himself. Nevertheless, his comfortable lifestyle had blinded him to the needs of the man lying at his gate. He never did anything against Lazarus, but neither did he do anything for him. Lazarus, for his part, reminds us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit. He had a difficult life on earth but all his sufferings earned him great rewards in heaven.
This story can be taken as both a warning and a source of encouragement: we are warned not to fail in charity and encouraged to persevere in faith. Jesus gave the commandment that we love one another as He has loved us. Yet, it is not always easy to recognize Him in the least of His brethren. The more good that comes our way, the harder it is to recognize the face of Christ in others. Yet, there is a profound connection between faith and charity. As we grow in faith, so too, do we grow in charity. It is impossible to have one without the other, and when faith and charity are joined together they also bring us hope.
Fr. Colm Mannion O.P.