Visibly Invisible

Sometimes we just wait too long to get the message.

Jesus said, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 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.' 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. 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.' He said, `Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, `No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 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.'" - Luke 16:19–31

I am sure if I give it some thought, I can find times when I was like the rich man, so caught up in my own desires and concerns that I ignored others who were in need of help.

It is not that he didn't notice Lazarus at the gate of the city.  It is clear that he knew who the man was, but he just didn't concern himself with the man's needs.  Instead, he looked on him as a servant, someone he could ask Abraham to send to him to wait on him.

While we are alive, there is no chasm between us and those in need of help.  We can easily approach them and give assistance, if we choose.  But when we die, we lose the ability to cross over and help.  Our choices are cemented forever, and we face eternity with them.

That alone should be enough to scare us into action, but most of the time, we are too busy to go out of our way to help.  There are just more important things to do.

So, the message of today's Gospel is harsh but simple.  Do it now.

Seek out opportunities to help the ones we treat as invisible.  Let them know we see them, and if possible, try to care what happens to them.

If we take the time to get to know them, we will care.

More to come...