THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

136In the context, the rich man proposes that someone, probably Lazarus, rise from the deadto warn his brothers. Luke's readers, of course, will immediately think of Jesus, and how evenHis resurrection was not enough to convince the Pharisees to give up their hardened oppositionto the truth. What the law and the prophets say was simply not enough to the rich man.Something more spectacular was needed.NEGLECTING JUSTICE AND LOVE (11:42)The rich man’s treatment of Lazarus on earth revealed his true relationship to God.Mercy for the poor is a thermometer of the authenticity of our faith.We dare not close our eyes to the truth and we must not close our eyes to the sufferingpeople all around us.Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their love of money and lack of mercy for the poor.Remember his comment about their scrupulous tithing?"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and allother kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. Youshould have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone" (11:42).Piety is not only about praying, tithing and fasting, it is also about showing mercy to thepoor and seeking justice for the oppressed. For leaders who prided themselves on being suchBible scholars the Pharisees sure missed the weightier matters of Hebrew Scripture: justice andmercy.APPLICATIONWHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THE POOR?As disciples we are asking, “What should we learn from this?” “What is God saying to ustoday?”