CATCHING THE BALL,PARABLES: LAZARUS
I always like to point out that the word “parable” has within it the word “ball”. When Jesus or anyone throws us a parable or a story, they are throwing the ball into our court. Do we catch it? Do we see it coming? Do we even want to play the game?
Today’s two readings are tossed to us. Did anyone catch the first reading? Did anyone hear it? Was anyone listening? Did anyone catch the Gospel? Did you hear it? If you caught the gospel, do you want to run with it? Your move?
FIRST READINGToday’s first reading presents two choices. It has the power of bullet or a sword. It has a simple message: do you want to be a barren bush in the desert or do you want to be a tree planted near running water? Choose life.
The barren bush just stands there in a lava waste. It’s barren. It enjoys no change of season. It just stands there in a salty and empty earth. Choose life.
Whereas the tree planted near running water has variety. It stretches out its roots to the stream. It doesn’t fear the heat. It’s leaves stay green. In the year of drought it shows no distress. It still bears fruit. Choose life.
The choice is tossed to us: do we want to be blessed or cursed? Do we want to be a barren bush in the desert or a tree planted near running water? Choose life.
Today’s two readings are tossed to us. Did anyone catch the first reading? Did anyone hear it? Was anyone listening? Did anyone catch the Gospel? Did you hear it? If you caught the gospel, do you want to run with it? Your move?
FIRST READINGToday’s first reading presents two choices. It has the power of bullet or a sword. It has a simple message: do you want to be a barren bush in the desert or do you want to be a tree planted near running water? Choose life.
The barren bush just stands there in a lava waste. It’s barren. It enjoys no change of season. It just stands there in a salty and empty earth. Choose life.
Whereas the tree planted near running water has variety. It stretches out its roots to the stream. It doesn’t fear the heat. It’s leaves stay green. In the year of drought it shows no distress. It still bears fruit. Choose life.
The choice is tossed to us: do we want to be blessed or cursed? Do we want to be a barren bush in the desert or a tree planted near running water? Choose life.
The person who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord is the tree near running water. The person who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord is the one who becomes a barren bush.
So there they are: two choices. The ball is tossed to us. Choose one. Choose life. Our move.
GOSPEL PARABLEIn his book on The Parables of Jesus, Joachim Jeremias says that today’s parable should not be called, “The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus,” but “The Parable of the Six Brothers.” (Cf. page 186.)
Joachim Jeremias claims that we all know this story of the rich man and Lazarus very well, but what we forget is what Jeremias thinks is the main part of the story. The rich man wants Lazarus to be sent by God the Father to his father’s house where he has five other brothers. “Let him be a warning to them so that they may not end in this place of torment.”
Joachim Jeremias also points out that it is helpful for us to know the background of the story. The audience in Jesus’ time knew it.
He writes, “In order to understand the parable in detail and as a whole, it is essential to recognize that the first part derives from the well-known folk-material concerned with the reversal of fortune in the after life. This is the Egyptian folk-tale of the journey of Si-Osiris, the son of Setme Chamois to the under-world, which concludes with the words: `He who has been good on earth, will be blessed in the kingdom of the dead, and he who has been evil on earth, will suffer in the kingdom of the dead.’ Alexandrian Jews brought this story to Palestine, where it became very popular as the story of the poor scholar and the rich publican Bar Ma`jan. That Jesus was familiar with this story is proved by the fact that he used it in the parable of the Great Supper. There we have already related the beginning of the story: how the scholar’s funeral was unattended, while the publican was buried with great pomp. Here is the end of the story. One of the poor scholar’s colleagues was allowed to see in a dream the fate of the two men in the next world: `A few days later that scholar saw his colleague in gardens of paradisal beauty, watered by flowing streams. He also saw Bar Ma’jan the publican standing on the bank of a stream and trying to reach the water, but unable to do so.’ V.19: The rich man, who had no need to work, feasted every day, arrayed in a costly mantle of purple wool, with underwear of fine Egyptian linen. The lack of emphasis on his guilt, although, as his fate shows, he is represented as an impious reveler, is explained by the fact that Jesus was drawing on material which was well known to his hearers. V.20: Lazarus is the only figure in the parables who is given a name; the name (God helps) has a special significance. Lazarus is a cripple..., suffering from a skin-disease (v. 21b). As a beggar he has to pitch his tent in the street, at the gate of the rich man’s mansion where he begs for a gift from the passers-by." (page 183.)
That’s the first part of the parable. Most people hear that, but they don’t hear the second part of the parable, which is the real message. It’s the real ball that is tossed to us. (For the rest of the story confer Joachim Jeremias famous book on The Parables of Jesus, pages 184-187.)
It’s the story of the 5 brothers. It’s the story of those who haven’t heard Moses, who haven’t heard the prophets, and to be really sarcastic, haven’t heard the story of Jesus who rose from the dead.
CONCLUSION
The ball is tossed to us. We are the 5 other brothers. Jesus is the one who rose from the dead to tell us that Lazarus is on many of our streets. He is in our homes. He is here. Do we see him? Choose him.
So there they are: two choices. The ball is tossed to us. Choose one. Choose life. Our move.
GOSPEL PARABLEIn his book on The Parables of Jesus, Joachim Jeremias says that today’s parable should not be called, “The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus,” but “The Parable of the Six Brothers.” (Cf. page 186.)
Joachim Jeremias claims that we all know this story of the rich man and Lazarus very well, but what we forget is what Jeremias thinks is the main part of the story. The rich man wants Lazarus to be sent by God the Father to his father’s house where he has five other brothers. “Let him be a warning to them so that they may not end in this place of torment.”
Joachim Jeremias also points out that it is helpful for us to know the background of the story. The audience in Jesus’ time knew it.
He writes, “In order to understand the parable in detail and as a whole, it is essential to recognize that the first part derives from the well-known folk-material concerned with the reversal of fortune in the after life. This is the Egyptian folk-tale of the journey of Si-Osiris, the son of Setme Chamois to the under-world, which concludes with the words: `He who has been good on earth, will be blessed in the kingdom of the dead, and he who has been evil on earth, will suffer in the kingdom of the dead.’ Alexandrian Jews brought this story to Palestine, where it became very popular as the story of the poor scholar and the rich publican Bar Ma`jan. That Jesus was familiar with this story is proved by the fact that he used it in the parable of the Great Supper. There we have already related the beginning of the story: how the scholar’s funeral was unattended, while the publican was buried with great pomp. Here is the end of the story. One of the poor scholar’s colleagues was allowed to see in a dream the fate of the two men in the next world: `A few days later that scholar saw his colleague in gardens of paradisal beauty, watered by flowing streams. He also saw Bar Ma’jan the publican standing on the bank of a stream and trying to reach the water, but unable to do so.’ V.19: The rich man, who had no need to work, feasted every day, arrayed in a costly mantle of purple wool, with underwear of fine Egyptian linen. The lack of emphasis on his guilt, although, as his fate shows, he is represented as an impious reveler, is explained by the fact that Jesus was drawing on material which was well known to his hearers. V.20: Lazarus is the only figure in the parables who is given a name; the name (God helps) has a special significance. Lazarus is a cripple..., suffering from a skin-disease (v. 21b). As a beggar he has to pitch his tent in the street, at the gate of the rich man’s mansion where he begs for a gift from the passers-by." (page 183.)
That’s the first part of the parable. Most people hear that, but they don’t hear the second part of the parable, which is the real message. It’s the real ball that is tossed to us. (For the rest of the story confer Joachim Jeremias famous book on The Parables of Jesus, pages 184-187.)
It’s the story of the 5 brothers. It’s the story of those who haven’t heard Moses, who haven’t heard the prophets, and to be really sarcastic, haven’t heard the story of Jesus who rose from the dead.
CONCLUSION
The ball is tossed to us. We are the 5 other brothers. Jesus is the one who rose from the dead to tell us that Lazarus is on many of our streets. He is in our homes. He is here. Do we see him? Choose him.
These two readings are Lenten readings to ponder - and to take to heart.
Jeremiah tells us at the end of today’s first reading,
“More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the Lord, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.”
NOTES:
Painting on top by Ian Pollock, 2000: Parable 26 - Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16: 19-31 in the Eich Gallery. Notice the Big Man and the crumbled up Little Man - as well as the dog between the Big Man and the Little Man. I chose this watercolor, ink and gouache painting as a fish hook on the top of this blog piece - to hook you - to get you to say, "What is this?" If you got this far - I assume it worked. Motive - the same as Jesus' hope to hook, to fish hook, his listeners with the story he told about the Rich Man and the Poor Man.
Check also Noticing Lazarus At Our Door, Reflections of a Priest with Forty Years in Hispanic Ministry, by John Lavin, C.Ss.R. 2007
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