Here is an interesting clue to get to the message Jesus sends us today in this familiar story (Luke 16:19-31): he doesn’t mention a single good deed done by Lazarus in his whole life to deserve to go to heaven. Nor does he mention anything very bad done by the rich man, who was feasting every day, to wind up in hell. 

The first thing that jumps right out at us is the fact that Jesus is addressing the “Pharisees” among us. (Luke 16: 19) 

The Pharisees were notorious for two things: their love of money (Luke 16:14) as a sign of God’s approval of their goodness and righteousness and, concomitantly, their efforts to make sure that their rapport with God was based on claiming a fair reward for good things scrupulously done, and for which they took credit. 

However, according to Jesus’ mindset, far from being evidence of God’s approval of one’s conduct, wealth tends to isolate one from the community (in our case from the Church, the Body of Christ) and to cause a loss of identity marked by blissful unawareness of and indifference to others. 

Indeed, we notice that Jesus gives no name to the rich man, while to the poor man he gives the name Lazarus   (God helps).  

We must also notice that the nameless rich man lived alone, away from his father’s home, and that he had isolated himself from the rest of the world by way of “a door.” 

He must have reached this decision gradually by thinking the way the Pharisees thought: “Since my wealth is evidence of both my goodness and of God’s favor, why would I open my “door” to others and do anything to reduce the means that afford me this lifestyle by sharing with others?”  

So, a second look at the nameless rich man’s lifestyle, shows that, by choice, in his delusion of righteousness, he was living in a self-made “hell.”   

And his death simply sealed his isolation symbolized by an uncrossable chasm. 

So, is Jesus telling us that there might be no dramatic reversal occurring at one’s death?  

The nameless rich man realized way too late that he should have taken down “the door” separating him from his father, siblings and the community while on this earth. 

He became aware of others (in his case his 5 brothers) after hell had already closed in on him.  

After his death, the chasm between himself and the community was too large to cross. 

This dramatic story, then, begins to shed light on the main purpose of our Eucharistic feast.  

Ideally, it is meant for those who have not closed any “door” between themselves and the rest; have not dug a chasm to keep them from their family and community. 

The Eucharist is meant for those who are constantly, willfully, thoughtfully aware of the joys and sorrows of others. 

The Eucharist is meant for those who know very well that they have no claims before God for any good deed done (“without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5); and bear trustingly their allotted life’s conditions (like Lazarus) with hope-filled acceptance rather than complaints.  

As we attend this Eucharistic feast, we should find out if we display any tendency toward isolation and /or indifference, as well as any sense of self-righteousness that might have crept, undetected, into our heart. 

Were we to notice something amiss, something that would identify us as being “Pharisees,” we should waste no time in returning to the Lord with a contrite and humble heart. 

As Abraham points out, it would be foolish and unrealistic to expect a miraculous, sensational revelation like the one of a “Lazarus” coming from beyond the grave to warn us of impending danger due to our complacency and self-imposed isolation. 

Rather, it would be very wise of us to play it safe by tossing aside any claim to righteousness based on our assumed good deeds and, instead, by owning up to our extreme spiritual poverty and need for divine mercy. 

After all, every time we gather for our Eucharistic feast there is no door separating us from our Lord. There should be no door separating us from our brothers and sisters. 

May the Holy Spirit persuade us to change our outlook because of the astonishing fact that we are here to celebrate with the ONE who has indeed risen from the dead. (Luke 16:31) 

We are aware that the very nature of his feast is a constant awareness of others, an everlasting communion, an eternal sharing, an endless loving and caring among brothers and sisters in the awesome family of our Heavenly Father.