between us and you a great chasm is established

based on: Lk 16:19-31


The story of Lazarus is another parable told by Jesus to the Pharisees to indicate how wealth and power are to be used. In the modern era we have a difficult time reconciling Jesus’ profound concern for the poor with our own lives of comfort and wealth. Often we try to explain away the hard sayings of Jesus, and instead emphasize a Christianity that is based on what we believe and not the ways we demonstrate our concern for each other. I think that Jesus is challenging this logic today. He leaves no doubt about what his feelings are regarding the rich man. Luke’s gospel is filled with many of these references about the burden of being rich. I don’t think Jesus is telling us that being rich is evil, any more than being poor is virtuous. I think Jesus is challenging us to examine our values. What is it that we consider riches and wealth? This story only tells us that Lazarus was poor and that the rich man was rich. The rich man lived in comfort while Lazarus lived in the streets suffering. We don’t know anything more about the rich man other than he walked by Lazarus and the poor while he lived in comfort. I think this is the real point of this story: the rich man was unaffected by suffering and poverty. Jesus on the other hand is seen throughout Luke’s gospel as very affected by suffering and poverty. Earlier in Luke’s gospel Jesus tells the Pharisees that, "what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God." We see this being illustrated today in this parable. The real sin for the rich man is that he values material comfort more than he does concern for his fellow man. If we value comfort and status more than we do concern for the poor, then our values are not aligned with Jesus. In Luke’s gospel Jesus has a social agenda. He is not satisfied with just easing the suffering of the poor, but he is actually interested in changing the social structure of society that permits this poverty to go on. His desire is to create a new social order that is based on concern for the suffering and the poor. St. John Chrysostom says, "The rich man is a kind of steward of the money which is owed for distribution to the poor...For his own goods are not his own, but belong to his fellow servants." In other words, the rich man serves as society’s social welfare system. Jesus has entrusted us with fulfilling his vision for a new social order that is based on concern for the poor and the suffering. These are Jesus’ values. They must be ours too!

Jesus tells us that a great chasm exists between the rich and the poor. It is so great a chasm that one cannot cross from one to the other. The chasm is so great that is exists beyond this age and this time and continues to separate us beyond this life. Here we see the mercy of Jesus in action as he provides comfort to the poor and suffering, but where is the mercy of Jesus for those who are rich? Are we left to believe that Jesus has no mercy for those who are rich? While Jesus could be loving and comforting, we see that he is also capable of being harsh and condemning and especially when he challenges the social institutions that support continued suffering. We must recall that Jesus’ method of compassion is the cross. Jesus compassion is the denial of the self and the desires of the self. The great chasm that exists is between those who are concerned only with themselves, and those whose concern is for the poor and suffering. It is so great a chasm that it cannot be crossed. The only way over this great chasm is an interior change of heart that results in a change of focus away from ourselves toward those who are suffering and poor. If we cannot make this transformation in our own lives, then Jesus tells us, "between us and you a great chasm is established."