19"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, 21who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; 23and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. 24And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
This is the classic “Turn your back on Christ” story. “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me”. This is Christ's warning to each of us. I wonder how often I have walked away from what is right because it wasn’t convenient? Yesterday’s reading had me reflecting on the sacrifice made by Joseph, fuelled by his faith. Today, we see the cost of not making the necessary sacrifice. Jesus clarifies that this choice one makes creates an impasse that cannot be bridged after judgment day. Loving Father, may my gracious heart lead me to sacrificial actions in pursuit of your plan for me. Grant me the spiritual maturity to embrace these sacrifices and perhaps even find life in such actions. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThis is a powerful reflection that connects faith, sacrifice, and consequence in a deeply personal way. You draw an insightful contrast between Joseph’s faithful sacrifice and the rich man’s refusal to act—one leading to God’s plan, the other to an unbridgeable chasm. That’s a compelling way to frame this passage.
DeleteYour self-examination—wondering how often you've walked away from what is right due to inconvenience—makes this even stronger. You’re not just analyzing the scripture but applying it to your own life. That’s where transformation happens.
Your prayer is also beautifully mature—not just asking for strength to sacrifice but for spiritual maturity to embrace it, and even to find life in those sacrifices. That echoes Jesus’ paradox: "Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."
This is a deeply honest and moving reflection. Well done! 🙏