Can we see?

Are we persuaded by Jesus’ teaching concerning care for our outcast brothers and sisters?

WORD OF FAITH: A breakdown of each week's upcoming Sunday readings to better understand the Word of God at Mass.

Last Sunday we heard a scathing invective that the prophet Amos hurled against the rich people of Jerusalem. The First Reading this Sunday is another piece of his criticism concerning those who live in luxury and give no attention to the poor ones of the land. Amos paints a vivid picture of their extravagance. We can see them, stretched on their couches, eating choice meats, drinking wine from bowls. We can smell the fragrant oils with which they “anoint” themselves. We can hear the harp music played for their entertainment. Actually, it sounds like a luscious scene! So why, yet again, is Amos in an uproar? “Woe!” he cries out in the name of the Holy One — the God of Hosts. “Woe” is a serious declaration of lament, judgment and warning. What is woeful? It is the complacency of the rich and the fact that they are “not made ill by the collapse of Joseph” (a reference to the people and how Joseph cared for them during the famine). Amos sees this scandalous luxury from God’s perspective. The rich and complacent have sealed themselves off from the community and the covenant. Their indulgence has isolated them from those they have a responsibility to care for. Amos threatens that all this “wanton revelry” will be taken away in exile.

Jesus picks up this weighty matter of being faithful to the covenant by caring for the poor ones in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Like Amos, Jesus creates a picture of the rich man who “dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.” This was the lifestyle of royalty! So the contrast is stark — Lazarus lying at the rich man’s door, suffering from sores and longing to eat the scraps from the rich man’s table. Lazarus watched as the bread that was used to clean the hands of those dining was fed to the dogs. The rich man doesn’t “see” Lazarus — just like the rich in Amos’ time were complacent and indifferent — this man cannot notice the need of this poor man. The rich man, who enjoys a surplus, has an obligation to share the surplus with the lowly; to retain the surplus is to be greedy (see Luke 12:16-21).

Even in death, the rich man doesn’t see, doesn’t understand why his greed has landed him in a place of torment. He “raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his bosom,” but now he sees Lazarus as a messenger — as the DoorDash man who will bring him a drop of cooling water! His circumstances have not changed his perspective, his awareness or his heart. Abraham explains that there has been a tremendous reversal of fortunes — the poor, hungry and lowly man has been elevated to bliss, while the greedy and selfish person has been reduced to torment. Now it’s too late to change the situation.

The rich man pleads for his siblings “back home” and probably still living exactly like he was. The rich man is convinced that a visit from the dead will awaken them! No deal, Abraham says; let them pay attention to the law and the prophets. Jesus is sending a powerful message through Abraham at the end of the parable: “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”

How about us? Are we persuaded by Jesus’ teaching concerning care for our outcast brothers and sisters? Jesus, the Christ has risen from the dead and he emphasizes his commands to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome strangers. He has given us the Beatitudes to open a new way to see one another and indeed, all of creation. He has demanded that we not just say, “Lord, Lord” but do the will of the Father — to lovingly and compassionately reach out to others, especially the marginalized ones. Can we see? Can we act like Jesus is the Risen Lord of our lives? Now is the time!