Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 28, 2025

Prayer of the Day
O God, rich in mercy, you look with compassion on this troubled world. Feed us with your grace, and grant us the treasure that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31 [Jesus said:] 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27 He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

REFLECTIONS: Granted, the setting for ‘act two’ of the parable is the afterlife. The point of this parable is very much about this life considering that it follows Jesus’ loan shark story. Jesus tells these stories to his followers so they reflect on their relationship with ‘stuff’.

The impoverished Lazarus is the only person in a parable who has a name—and it translates as “God helps”. For this poor Lazarus ONLY God helps.

Rich dude is too preoccupied keeping Party Central lubricated and fed to even SEE Lazarus suffering right there at his gate. God sees. God knows. God helps. Hereafter, Lazarus’ suffering is relieved as he rests in the bosom of Abraham, father of us all.

Hereafter, rich and terminally obtuse dude languishes in torment.

He begs Abraham to enlist Lazarus as errand boy to bring him respite. Get the irony? The law and prophets call on rich boy and us to relieve the suffering of others or at least not to make it any worse.

Ever the wheeler dealer, rich dude asks Abraham to conscript Lazarus to be a Marley’s ghost messenger to warn his siblings. No sale.

Where does that leave us?

What if Professor Barbara Rossing is right that we are the siblings of the rich guy? “We are those five siblings of the rich man. We who are still alive have been warned about our urgent situation, the parable makes clear. We have Moses and the prophets; we have the scriptures; we have the manna lessons of God’s economy, about God’s care for the poor and hungry. We even have someone who has risen from the dead. The question is: Will we — the five sisters and brothers — see? Will we heed the warning, before it is too late?”

Some studies suggest that the richest among us are the least generous and often the poorest among us are the most generous. Images of starving children in Gaza break our hearts— We watch people in town load up repurposed shopping carts with trash bags stuffed with all their earthly possessions and wonder how we might help. So I know we see the suffering at our gates.

Our churches give your contributions to the Hope Centre and Port Cares. Individuals give generously to international relief agencies like CLWR. Our bishops advocate to government leaders on behalf of the poor. There are instances where we’ve have shown kindness to people sleeping at our gates…or doorstep. Our actions are in keeping with tradition of the children of Israel heeding calls for generosity and compassion. Our generosity comes from Jesus’ example and preaching to remember the poor.

Yet, Greed remains voracious and poverty relentless. So maybe our warning comes new every day. As Jesus would say, if we have ears let us hear. If we have love and compassion let us live that out. Maybe our kindness and push for justice now are little echoes or hints about the grand and glorious feast in the kingdom in the hereafter.

Or as professor Rossing puts it,

-In Luke’s wonderful imagery, Abraham’s bosom awaits to enfold us in loving arms now and after our death. (Source: Working Preacher, Luther Seminary, St. Paul MN, US)