Gospel Reflection # 2:
Lazarus & the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31)
This gospel tells about the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man-- two people who lead completely different lives after they died. The rich man, who then grew accustomed to extravagance on earth, was left to rot in Hell. Lazarus, on the other hand, a poor man who had almost nothing, found his way to dine with Abraham in Heaven.
Reading this, I've come to see how appropriate the gospel is for any of us today. This specific one though reveals the lack of change of the ever-widening gap of the rich and the poor. People are forgetting that the life we are living now is merely a tiny fraction of what we will be living then. They need to realize that although they brings us happiness, material goods are only temporary, and more often than not, may lead us to being too selfish, materialistic and blind to our Christian faith. Too much of it will surely be a hindrance to fulfilling our Christian mission and contributes to the weakening of our sense of brotherhood, love and acceptance. This is what happened to the rich man. He was too blinded by his luxurious life to lend Lazarus a helping hand.
If I told you that I myself do not get strayed by material possessions from time to time, I would be lying. Knowing this, I will now honestly try harder to avoid such attitudes by helping out our less fortunate brothers and sisters in any way that I can, be it by joining outreaches, blood drives, charities, or simply contributing to any donations. If I had the chance to, I would also help them realize the importance of brotherhood and family, because this is what truly matters in the end.
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