Thursday, March 9, 2023

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)

A dozen or so years ago sociologist Charles Murray published a book that received national attention. Coming Apart marshaled massive evidence demonstrating that the United States was becoming increasingly stratified economically and socially.  Although the liberal rich are criticized as having an elitist disregard for religion and for wanton living, Murray showed the opposite.  His evidence revealed that the rich were much more likely to go to church and have intact families than the poor.  So do the rich in the United States act like the rich man in the gospel parable today, or do they follow Christ?

Of course, the answer is, “that depends.” In the parable the rich man's sin is not that he is wealthy but that he overlooks poor Lazarus lying at his door.  He probably is well-known in the community, but interestingly in the hereafter he goes unnamed.  Meanwhile, Lazarus dies in misery but is remembered by name in eternal bliss. 

Some rich, no doubt, faithfully follow the Lord.  However, there is a striking parallel between the rich in America and the rich man who ignores Lazarus.  With gated communities, first-class accommodations, and high-cost private schools, the rich are not likely to see the poor struggling close by. They much make extra effort to be remembered in eternal life.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)

Sociologist Charles Murray has recently published another bombshell. His Coming Apart marshals massive evidence to demonstrate that the United States is becoming increasingly stratified economically and socially. Although the liberal rich are often seen as the source of irreligion and wanton living, Murray shows that they are much more likely to go to church and have intact families than the poor. So are the rich in the U.S. acting like the rich man in the gospel parable today, or are they perhaps following Christ?

The rich man's sin is apparently that he doesn't notice Lazarus lying at his door. He lives in luxury with no awareness of his closest neighbor. He probably was well-known in the community, but interestingly in the hereafter he goes unnamed. Lazarus, on the other hand, goes unnoticed at the rich man's door, but even the patriarch calls him by name in eternal life.

Some rich no doubt faithfully follow the Lord. However, there is a striking parallel between the rich in America and the rich man who ignores Lazarus. Those blessed with wealth have an obligation to find and assist those in need. Of course, with gated communities beggars are not seen at the rich person's door. But that cannot be an excuse in days of mass media to say that they are not around.