Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings —Jeremiah 32: 1-3a, 6-15; Psalm 91:1-6,14-16, I Timothy 6: 6-19; Luke 16: 19-31
Stop, Look, Listen are the three words on the signage as you approach a railroad crossing in this country. Stop, Look, Listen. Pay attention. We will get back to those three simple words.
Now let’s turn to the reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke. Let’s take a look at the rich man. In Latin, his name was Dives. He was attired in luxury, purple and fine linen. Back in the day of the first century, this was the attire of the priests in Jerusalem. Dives feasted every day. Implied is that there was no sabbath observance for him or for his staff when no work was to be performed. He was self-indulgent. In the ancient world, with no forks or spoons, the rich used bread as their utensils, throwing the used portions on the floor for servants to scoop up and dispose of. These scraps of bread were the substance of Lazarus. Please note that Dives did not order Lazarus away from the gate of his residence. Dives did not object to Lazarus receiving the scraps of bread scattered around his table. Dives did not insult or abuse Lazarus in any way. Dives was not cruel to Lazarus.
Dives arrived in Hades, and received his fate because he did not Stop, Look, and Listen. He never noticed Lazarus, or if he did, he accepted their respective positions as acceptable, as the norm. Dives found himself in Hades not because he did evil things or behaved badly. It was because he did nothing. He lived life with blinders, and did not notice or respond to the pain and suffering of others. Like the parable of the Good Samaritan, Dives walked on by. He lived in his own little world; he lived in his own bubble.
To be the People of Jesus we cannot ignore the struggles of others, the suffering of others. We cannot not walk by on the other side. We can not live in our own little world, in our own bubble. As People who follow Jesus we are called to look beyond our selves.
From our closing blessing:
O Lord God, You have blessed us to be a blessing…
From our dismissal:
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Stop, Look, Listen.
In our own backyard, in our building, we distribute Meals on Wheels for those who need one complete meal five days a week, delivered to their door. We have Meals for Seals that began as a weekend backpack program for students in the school’s free lunch program, and has now become a weekend of meals for the entire family. We have the Martha’s Table Meal that is all takeout now at the request of the guests twice a month, plus additional food items for home preparation.
This is who we are as the People who follow Jesus.
Beyond our community, I think it is time for us also to raise our voices for our public servants to Stop, Look, and Listen to the needs of our commonwealth, our nation, and our world. Pennsylvania is a commonwealth, where we are to look beyond ourselves and our own self-interests. What is happening in Ukraine and in Gaza, if we are paying attention, is heartbreaking and solvable.
Yet, let us not get overwhelmed and discouraged.
Let us conclude with the words of the Baptismal Covenant in which we bind ourselves to the Way of Jesus, eyes wide open.
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
Our answer with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength continues to be Yes. Yes. Yes.
Amen
