“Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at 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.” Luke 16:19–21
One of the reasons this story is so powerful is because of the clear descriptive contrast between the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is not only seen in the passage above, it is also seen in the final outcome of each of their lives.
In the first contrast, the rich man’s life seems much more desirable, at least on the surface. He is rich, has a home to live in, dresses in fine clothing and eats sumptuously every day. By contrast, Lazarus is poor, has no home, has no food, is covered with sores and even endures the humiliation of dogs licking his wounds. Which of these persons would you prefer to be?
Before you answer that question, consider the judgment. The rich man had the world at his feet, everything and more of what he wanted was his. The poor man had nothing. He loved a life of suffering and would have dreamt to have even the garbage of the rich man.
The rich man ended in hell (the netherworld), while Lazarus found reward in Heaven.
Money and riches are evil! That isn’t what I believe Jesus was saying in this. Do you believe the rich man would have found a different destination if he had noticed Lazarus? I don’t mean that he noticed him to step over him as he entered his door. No. Of the rich man had noticed Lazarus’ suffering and offered mercy, things would have been different.
Riches and money lead to doom only when they become more important than others, than mercy.
Jesus tells the crowd, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:26
It isn’t money that is evil and leads a soul to purgation but, instead, it is the love of money.
It must be made clear that there is nothing wrong with gaining money, fame, success and power if they are God’s will. To say the least, God wants every believer to gain blessings here on earth just as much as we are reserved the blessings of heaven. However, what Jesus does not want to see is believers forsaking God for the sake of temporal earthly success.
“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything” Exodus 20:3-4
The risk of winning millions on the Powerball isn’t the jackpot. The risk is the loss of sight of what God demands of each of us. That is full, unobstructed vision upon God. Number one and two on the tablet Moses brought down from Sinai are clear on this. Winning a huge jackpot or having a great income and blessings can be a grace that leads a rich man to Heaven. But, to be the ‘golden ticket’, the soul must always realize these ‘riches’ are God’s. They are given to man to glorify God to others.
Don’t think ‘riches’ are only gold and cash. Riches are skills, and gifts and even prayers…maybe even a kind word.
How do you use your riches to glorify God? Do you step over Lazarus on your way to dinner (or Mass)? Or do you see him, stop to share riches – maybe even missing that dinner?
Taking your gifts and sharing them in a God centered fashion is when you truly ‘hit the jackpot.” Win big!!!