Once again Sunday’s liturgy reminds us of the meaning and purpose of material wealth. In the first reading, the prophet Amos condemns the complacency of the rich and powerful who live in luxury and extravagance, while being indifferent to the afflictions of the poor and mindless of the impending fall of Israel to the Assyrians. The prophet warns them that they will not be saved by their wealth and that “they shall be the first to go into exile and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.”
In the gospel, Jesus tells the well-known parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man lives like a king dressed in royal purple and splurging on sumptuous banquets each day. In contrast, Lazarus lies at the rich man’s gate covered with sores and wishing to eat from the leftover of his neighbor’s table. Dogs keep him company and lick his wounds. In the ancient world, dogs symbolize contempt, thus depicting Lazarus’ extreme misery and utter degradation.
Eventually both die and their fortunes are reversed. Lazarus now rests in the bosom of Abraham while the rich man languishes in hell.
What is the sin of the rich man? He cannot be faulted for possessing immense wealth which he may have justly inherited or honestly earned. Nor is he described in the gospel as one who is vicious or has committed any crime. Why then does he land in hell?
The rich man is condemned not for what he did to Lazarus but for what he failed to do. His is the sin of omission.
Indeed, we can be condemned for doing nothing. Entrance into heaven in fact is gained by those who do good, while exclusion is the lot of those who fail to do good.
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink… Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no food, I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink… “ (Mt 25: 34-35, 41-42)
In today’s readings, the powerful are punished with exile, not for their power but for their insensitivity to the suffering of those around them. Likewise, the rich are sent to damnation, not for their wealth but for their selfishness and failure to share.
Reflecting on today’s liturgy, one cannot help but think of our present situation. The revelations that are unfolding in the ongoing investigation on the flood control projects scandal are simply appalling: the extent of the corruption of those involved and their ostentatious lifestyle vis-a-vis the untold suffering of countless victims of the flood caused by the greed, irresponsibility and gross negligence of the plunderers.
No wonder, the people are angry. Last Sunday, we have manifested our collective indignation and our demand for accountability, restoration and justice. What now? Where do we go from here?
This is for all of us to discern. Every sector has a vital role to play in sustaining the advocacy for making our leaders accountable until justice is attained.
On the part of the Church, we seek guidance and direction from God and his word. We are all aware that the present scandal is but the tip of the iceberg. The problem of corruption is deep and systemic. While we blame our legislators (proponents), the DPWH and the contractors, we too are to blame. We were the ones who put those people in government. And like them, we too cut corners, engage in shady deals, patronize patronage… There is a need to put an end to the culture of corruption we have created. We need to change. All of us. In the words of the gospel, we need to convert. We need conversion of mind, heart and spirit.
Going back to the gospel, the rich man eats from a sumptuous table while Lazarus lies sick and famished by the gate. In the afterlife both address Abraham as their father, meaning they are brothers after all.
The same happens to us when we fail to recognize one another as brothers and sisters. More than Abraham’s children, we are children of God, who calls us to share in the abundant table of his blessings here on earth and in his heavenly banquet in the afterlife.*
