“There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’ “The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31, CEB)
I have always found this reading interesting. An unnamed rich man and Lazarus, a poor man, both die and one is with the dead and the other with Abraham, presumedly in Heaven. And the rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to care for him in the torment. But there is a great crevasse (the River Styxs?) that separates them. So the rich man asks for Lazarus to go back and warn his brothers. Abraham says that they have Moses and the prophets and if they won’t listen to and understand them, then they won’t get it if someone comes back from the dead.
Well, Jesus came back from the dead, so if we don’t get what Moses and the prophets said will we understand why Jesus came back from the dead?
Sometimes even the things that establish our faith don’t make sense. We can’t really prove it, but isn’t that what it’s called faith?
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 