Questions for reflection

As you slowly read this Gospel passage, allow its words to soak into your mind. You may want to light a candle to help you ponder the passage, reflect on the image above or on the words of Pope Francis below. You might want to imagine that you are one of the Pharisees listening to Jesus.

1. What is this passage saying to you?

2. What word(s), sentence or phrase in this Gospel passage most caught your attention; most touched your heart; most challenged you; most comforted you? Is there anything in this passage that you found uncomfortable or startling?

3. ‘There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.’How does it make you feel that this parable represents the two extremes of society: the poor covered in sores with no rights and seemingly invisible; the rich self-centred in power and wealth? What can you do to bridge this gap? Have you ever been like the rich man when you have not noticed what is going on around you because you were too focussed on your own needs?

4. ‘And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.’ How do you treat the poor? Do they have a name? Who is the Lazarus in your community? How can I give more care and attention to him/her?

5. ‘And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed,’ Have you ever felt separated from God? What caused this separation?

6. ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ Who can you rely on to teach you about your faith? How can you be more attentive to the Word of God?

Pope Francis tells us:

“We know the homeless man’s name: his name was Lazarus. But what was the rich man’s name? He doesn’t have a name!”. This is the most powerful curse for the person who trusts in himself or in the strength and human abilities rather than in God: he loses his name! Such a man, when asked his name, responds not with his own proper name but by pointing to his possessions, his “property and villas”, or “to things, to idols”.

And so today we would do well to ask ourselves: Where do I place my trust? Have I placed it in the Lord or am I a pagan who trusts in things, in idols that I have fashioned? Do I still have a name, or have I begun to lose my name and to identify myself only as “I” with all its variations: “me, with me, for me, only me: always egoism, I!”. This way of living, will most certainly not bring us salvation.

And yet the Gospel offers “a door of hope to all those who have rooted themselves in a trust in man and in themselves, who have lost their name. In the end, there is always a way. The rich man himself bears witness to this. When he realizes that he has lost his name, that he has lost everything, he raises his eyes and speaks a single word: ‘Father!’. And God responds with one single word: ‘Son!’”. Thus, for those who have placed their trust in man, in themselves, and who have lost their name and dignity, there still remains the possibility of speaking this word, which is far greater than magic, far greater and more powerful: ‘Father!’”. We know that he is always waiting for us, waiting to open a door that we do not see, and he will say to us: ‘My child!’.

We shall now spend 10 minutes reflecting on this scripture passage by reading, repeating, responding and resting as described above. We will then share what we thought, felt etc. only if you are comfortable to do so.