Gospel in Art: There was a rich man and a poor man called Lazarus

Lazarus and Dives illuminated miniature 1030-50 © Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg, Germany

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 9 March 2023
Luke 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees: 'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

'In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity 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." "My son," Abraham replied "remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours."

'The rich man replied, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too." "They have Moses and the prophets," said Abraham "let them listen to them." "Ah no, father Abraham," said the rich man "but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."'

Reflection on the Illuminated Folio Page

The illustration we are looking at today is folio 78 from the Codex Aureus of Echternach, made around 1040 AD, showing us a literal depiction of today's Gospel reading of the parable of Lazarus and the Dives ('dives' is the Latin word for 'rich man'). In the top panel we see Lazarus at the rich man's door; the middle panel shows Lazarus's soul being removed from his body and being carried to Paradise by two angels; the bottom panel illustrates Dives's soul being carried off to Hades by two devils.

Lazarus is the only man mentioned by name in our Gospel reading. The rich man is anonymous. So the entire focus is on Lazarus, his poverty and salvation. That is what today's reading is calling us to, to build a greater awareness of the needs around us that are right under our nose. We can be tempted to make big plans for the future, to have grand ideas of charity, but yet be oblivious to the needs right in front of us: the homeless person in the street, the lonely neighbour we don't greet, the check-out lady we don't smile to, etc…. The reading of today calls us to an immediacy of acts of kindness.

As Christians, being kind and compassionate is not an option but an obligation to which we are called. It is our duty. We often tend to think that, as we did not create a certain problem, we shouldn't really get involved with it. What is certain, however, is that we can and should be part of the solution. Being kind to others is a matter of justice, not just of charity.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-16-19-31-2023/