But you see вЂ“ before - the Rich Man never saw Lazarus as a fellow human being.

ThatвЂ™s something all of us need to ponder because there might be a poor man at our own doorsteps.ДЇrom hell - the Rich Man raised his eyes and saw Lazarus. ThatвЂ™s the reason he ended up in torment. He was so spiritually blinded that he could not, would not even give a little attention to the needs of a poor man lying at his doorstep. No, it is becauseВ of his self-centered preoccupation with his own life and its pleasures. The rich man went to the netherworld not because he wasВ rich. Last weekвЂ™s Gospel ended with: вЂњYou cannot serve both God and mammon.вЂќ In todayвЂ™s Gospel, Jesus tells us what happens as a consequence of loving money, pleasures and comforts of this life more than loving God and our neighbor. The love of money is the root of all evil.вЂќ Finally one of his colleagues whispered, вЂњWell, say something.вЂќ The leader looked at them and said, вЂњI should have taken the money.вЂќ All heads turned toward the leader, who sat glowing in the aura of wisdom. вЂњYou got it!вЂќ said the angel, and disappeared.

Without hesitation, the leader asked for infinite wisdom.

The leader was asked to choose one of three blessings: either infinite wealth/money, or infinite fame or infinite wisdom. Let him warn them, ( H) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.вЂ™Дў9В вЂњAbraham replied, вЂThey have Moses ( I) and the Prophets ( J) let them listen to them.вЂ™ДЈ0В вЂњвЂNo, father Abraham,вЂ™ ( K) he said, вЂbut if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.вЂ™ДЈ1В вЂњHe said to him, вЂIf they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.Homily on Mercy, Love and Compassion (based on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus В Luke 16: 19-31):ДЄn angel appeared at a gathering and told the leader of the group that he had come to reward the leader for his years of devoted service. ( G) 26В And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.вЂ™Дў7В вЂњHe answered, вЂThen I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28В for I have five brothers. 24В So he called to him, вЂFather Abraham, ( D) have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.вЂ™ ( E)Дў5В вЂњBut Abraham replied, вЂSon, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, ( F) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 23В In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ( C) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.Дў2В вЂњThe time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to AbrahamвЂ™s side. ( A) 20В At his gate was laid a beggar ( B) named Lazarus, covered with sores 21В and longing to eat what fell from the rich manвЂ™s table. 19В вЂњThere was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

Lazarus and the rich man