26th Sunday in Ordinary Time ( C-cycle )
September 30, 2007
Jesus told a lot of stories, parables we call them. In only one of these stories does a character have a name. It’s not the Prodigal Son. It’s not the Good Samaritan. Nor is it any of the kings or rich men often found in the parables. Only in our Gospel story today is someone called by name. Lazarus, the beggar. His name means, “My God helps.”
But there is another Lazarus in the Gospels, a real person. This Lazarus is described not as an apostle or a disciple, but simply as a “friend” of Jesus. Frederick Buechner pictures him as someone Our Lord could have a glass of wine with, share some laughs with, someone He didn’t have to be the Messiah with. When Lazarus died, Jesus came to his tomb and wept, so much so that onlookers said, “See how He loved him!” How human Jesus is, but He is also God, and He calls Lazarus from the tomb and brings him back to life.
Is it a mere coincidence that the beggar at the rich man’s door is also named “Lazarus” I don’t think so. I think the identical names are meant to teach us something. Jesus is telling us that the poor are His special friends, that He weeps for their misery, that He wants us to bring them to a new quality of life by sharing what we have with them.
And make no mistake about it; this is a matter of spiritual life or death---for us. The rich man commits no act of violence against the beggar. He just lets him lie there with the dogs licking his sores, as Lazarus dreams of just having some crumbs from his table. Indifference to the poor is a great sin. It brings the nameless rich man down to a place of eternal torment. The rich man wanted to give a warning to his brothers. Jesus is giving us a warning. Don’t let the same thing happen to you. “Make friends”, He says, “for yourselves with money so the poor may welcome you into eternal dwellings. They’re His friends. Make them yours.