[Pearls Episode 138: The rich man and Lazarus.]
This Sunday brings us the parable of the wealthy man and Lazarus (see the postscript).
Our focus in this week’s Pearls on the Interior Life is the closing line:
Then Abraham said, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”
(On a side note we apologize for the poor audio quality in this week’s recording – our audio technician, who may or may not have the initials S.S., recorded from the wrong microphone…).
So … “If someone should rise from the dead” … who does that sound like?
It raises the interesting question about Jesus returning from the dead – or, similarly, coming down from heaven. Atheist provocateurs will use this line of questioning – “if your God is real, why doesn’t he show himself?”
Truth be told, most everyone in their faith journey entertains that line of thought.
And Jesus walks right through that door in this parable – and with the retort that seeing people rise from the dead with our own eyes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
It’s worthy of contemplation – what would be different in our life if Jesus showed up at our kitchen table?
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postcript: The wealthy man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31)
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. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'”