Homily

Parables are short stories that are meant to teach some kind of truth, and the Gospel parables usually illustrate this by the use of some kind of unexpected or paradoxical change, some sharp contrast or clash between the people or events in the story. Here today it is the reversal of fortunes, the change between one way of life and another.

The rich man enjoys his wealth every day. He is not described as an evil man who steals, or cheats, or murders, or commits adultery, or even lays his hands on Lazarus. He is simply described as a wealthy man who enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle. And, on the other side we have Lazarus, who was not portrayed as a pious lover of God, nor as a holy man. All we are told about him is that he is that he was very sick, very weak, and very hungry. He was at the rich man's gate in the hope of getting at least some table scraps.

Both men die. So why does Lazarus end up being in heaven with Abraham? Is poverty a virtue? Is it because he suffered in this life so he gets a free pass to heaven? We kind of just accept the fact that Lazarus is in heaven, but I believe it is better for us to think about why he ended up there. It wasn't because of his sickness, or his poverty, or his hunger that he ended up with Abraham. It was because, despite all those things, he still kept his faith, he still trusted in God even in his great suffering, and he was still full of the love of the Lord even though his belly was empty. The Gospel parable doesn't give these details explicitly, but we are supposed to understand that this was what Lazarus believed and understand that he had a faith that was worthy of eternal life.

But what is it about this rich man that dragged him into hell? Abraham tells him that in his life he had received good things but Lazarus had experienced bad things. Abraham does not say that because the rich man lived a materially rich life that is the reason why he is now in hell. For the sake of the parable he merely repeats what we have already been told. It is up to us, the listeners of this parable, to figure out just what is going on here. So friends what is going on here?

I think the quickest and easiest answer is to say that the rich man is in hell because he did not help Lazarus. But does that truly seem right? Just because he abused, ignored, and refused to help one person is that is why he is in hell? And then does that mean many people are all going to hell? There must be more to this. What is our clue? It is found in Abraham’s words about what the rich man’s five brothers should do: if they listen to and follow the words of Moses and the prophets they will be saved. Aha! This is what the rich man did not do. This is how he bought himself a ticket to hell. Great acts of horrible evil are not the only way to get barred from heaven. You can be refused entrance based on a religious atheism.

What is religious atheism? It is a term I made up. Religious atheism is when a person acknowledges there is a God, may even attend church services and even do so on a regular basis. But when it comes to how they actually live their lives and operate day to day, they don't live in faith, they don’t act based on faith, but substitute their own wisdom and their own understanding.

"I believe in Jesus, but not this part, or this thing, or that idea. I believe in Jesus but I don't think you really have to talk with him, or believe everything in the Bible, or even know very much about the Bible. You just have to be a good person like I am. You have to decide what's right or wrong for yourself. Besides I don't have a lot of time for religion. I'm so busy." That's religious atheism. It is to say that there is a God, I just don't think I have to have much of a relationship with Him, or do everything He tells me, or accept the truth of his son, Jesus. It is to say that there is a Supreme Being, but in my own life I'm kind of more supreme. Religious atheism allows you to admit your faults, but tends to doubt the existence of sins I may have committed, and denies, or ignores, the idea of seeking pardon from God. Religious atheism admits that there are some divine laws, such as the requirement to take care of the poor and the sick, but these laws only apply to me if and when I say they do. Religious atheism allows that God can do miracles, and pretty much those are the only times you really need to get Him involved in your life. Religious atheism is very broad-minded. If I don't think I have good news in Jesus Christ to share with you, why should I really care what you believe? Religious atheism leans heavily on materialism, emotional satisfaction, avoiding suffering, and conflict as much as possible, it stresses short-term satisfaction over long-term gains, and tends to see the individual as more important than the family, the group, or community, unless an individual is working against you. In that case, you come against them as a threat to the community, and feel free to label them as wrong, stupid, hateful, or criminal.

The rich men, and his brothers, they have heard and they know the law and the prophets, but while acknowledging God's existence, they live as functional atheists. The total lack of the rich man's involvement with Lazarus is just one sign, one symptom of that much larger problem.

We have more than the law and the prophets. We have someone who actually did come back from the dead. We believe. But are there any atheistic thoughts, or attitudes or actions in our lives that are going unchallenged and not recognized for what they are? Jesus did not demand that we be saints today, but that we desire and we work to become saints, living fully in his divine life. May what we say and do continue to reveal a deeper faith in Him.