26TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: LAZARUS AS A CHALLENGE AGAINST SELF-INDULGENCE

Comfort That Blinds the Heart

The prophet Amos condemns those who live in luxury while ignoring the suffering around them. Similarly, Jesus presents the rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted daily. His downfall is not that he was wealthy, but that he repeatedly allowed comfort to sedate his awareness of Lazarus at his gate. Lazarus—whose name means 'God helps' (the Greek version of the Hebrew name Eliezer) — was the rich man’s missed opportunity to be God’s help. His wealth was wasted because it never became an instrument of compassion. He ended up anonymous because he was buried in his wealth.

Competing for Eternal Life

Paul exhorts Timothy: 'Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life' (1 Tim. 6:11). Faith requires vigilance and effort. Like a runner striving for the prize, we must not grow complacent. Both the rich man and Lazarus die, but their destinies diverge: one is carried to Abraham’s bosom, the other to torment. Paul’s theology helps to point out the eschatological nature of this parable: death, judgment, heaven, and hell—the last things—remind us that how we live now has eternal consequences.

The Sin of Omission

The rich man’s sin was not what he did, but mostly what he failed to do. He did not see Lazarus. To him, Lazarus remained invisible, defined only by poverty and disease. In failing to act, he rejected the dignity of the human person. Self-indulgence blinded him. The great chasm after death represents the irreversibility of his neglect.

Saint Francis of Assisi offers a counterexample. Encountering a leper, Francis overcame disgust, embraced him, and recognized Christ in that encounter. That moment transformed his life. What Francis saw in the leper, the rich man failed to see in Lazarus.

Temperance: The Virtue That Frees

Christian life demands temperance, which teaches us to use earthly pleasures in the right way, at the right time, and for the right reasons. The intemperate person indulges without regard for others, but the temperate heart shares, moderates, and lifts up those in need. The message is that Lazarus is placed at every believer’s gate as a test of compassion and faith.

Our Daily Choice

Like the rich man’s brothers, we already have 'Moses and the prophets.' The gospel is proclaimed daily to remind us of the need to use opportunities to serve those in need. Lazarus is before us on the road. Lazarus stares at us as we step out of the shopping mall and in front of our homes as we shut the door. The choice is ours: to indulge or to serve, to ignore or to see. A cooled car window should not blind us to the heat endured by a beggar outside. An air-conditioned home should not delude our vision for the homeless out in the cold. Our destinies are not the same, but our eternal destinations are the same: heaven or hell. Let us not live in denial. God continually places a Lazarus in our path so that we may grow in compassion and holiness.

Readings: Amos 6:1, 4–7; 1 Timothy 6:11–16; Luke 16:19–31

Reflection Questions

1. Who is the 'Lazarus' at the gate of my life right now—and how have I responded?

2. Do I see the poor, suffering, and marginalized as Christ in disguise, or as interruptions to my comfort?

3. How can I practice temperance so that my use of wealth, food, and comfort becomes a blessing for others?