“And lying at his gate was a poor man named Lazarus.” We all know about gates, don’t we? Gates are everywhere. Gated communities, “members only” clubs, fences, railroad tracks, border walls – even that invisible line in town that says” this side is for the haves, that side for the have-nots.”
Today’s gospel is no different. Jesus gives us the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus. On one side of the gate: the rich man, dressed in purple and eating fine meals. On the other side: Lazurus, covered in sores and dogs licking his wounds.
Now, before we get too smug, let me remind you: the government has defined poverty as making less than $11, 880 a year. By that math, most of us here are “rich.” That makes me a little twitchy because we just heard what happens to the rich man! But let me put you at ease – it is not about a magic dollar amount. Otherwise, the solution would be easy. Just drop your income to $11,879 and you are safe! But Jesus is not giving us a tax code or an IRS bracket. He is giving us a heart check.
See, the rich man’s problem was not his wardrobe or his menu. His problem was his gate. He had walled himself off from compassion. He never even noticed Lazarus right at his doorstep!
Look at all the ways we set gates between ourselves and others: between rich and poor, the powerful and the powerless, black and white, gay and straight, Muslim and Christian, immigrant and citizen, neighbor and enemy, or any other categories you might add to this list. Those gates are not circumstances or categories – they are a condition of the human heart. They do not just shut others out. They trap us inside. Today’s gates become tomorrow’s chasms.
That is the warning. But there is also good news. Lazarus’ name means “God helps.” The knock at our gate is not just a beggar, it is an invitation. God helps us when we open up.
What if we open the gates of compassion and concern for others, generosity and sharing, forgiveness and reconciliation, justice and peace? What would that take? Let’s look at our lives and our world. What are the closed gates in our life today? What gates are separating us from one another? It might be fear, anger, resentment, jealousy, indifference, guilt, grief, loneliness, cynicism or a thousand other things. Take a moment and listen. Listen deeply. Our gates are being rattled. Every day our gates are being rattled. Lazarus is knocking, rattling your gate and my gate. When we open our gates – through compassion, generosity, forgiveness, love – we don’t just help Lazarus in front of us. We discover our own freedom. Our own healing. Our own joy.
So today, if you hear a little rattling at the gate of your heart, don’t call security. Open it! Lazarus is knocking. And remember what his name means: “God helps.”