Opening Our Eyes to the Poor at Our Gate

Opening Our Eyes to the Poor at Our Gate

Reflection on Luke 16:19-31

In today’s Gospel, taken from Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It’s a powerful and sobering story, meant to wake us up to the realities of how we treat others — especially the poor — and how our choices echo into eternity.

We are introduced to two men living in very different worlds. The rich man is dressed in fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. He has everything — comfort, luxury, status. Then there is Lazarus, a poor man, lying at the rich man's gate, covered in sores, longing to eat the scraps that fall from the rich man’s table. It’s a heartbreaking image: Lazarus is close enough to be seen, but still invisible to the man who could help him.

This parable is not just about wealth or poverty in themselves, but about blindness — the spiritual blindness that comes from a life of self-indulgence and indifference. The rich man does not harm Lazarus directly. He doesn’t beat him or insult him. His sin is more subtle — and perhaps more dangerous. His sin is in ignoring him. Day after day, he walks past Lazarus, unmoved, unaffected.

And then comes the great reversal. Both men die. Lazarus is carried by angels to Abraham’s side — a symbol of heavenly comfort. The rich man finds himself in torment. What’s striking here is that even in the afterlife, the rich man doesn’t really "see" Lazarus for who he is. He still thinks in terms of status. He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to serve him, as if Lazarus were still beneath him. He hasn’t changed.

Abraham’s response is chilling: “Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed.” That chasm, brothers and sisters, is not simply geographical. It’s a spiritual and moral chasm — one that the rich man himself created in life. It’s the chasm built from years of self-centeredness, from ignoring the cries of the poor, from failing to love.

This Gospel challenges us profoundly. Who is lying at our gate? Who are we overlooking in our neighborhoods, our cities, our families? Poverty today might not always look like a man lying on the street with sores. It might be the lonely elderly neighbor, the child struggling in school, the immigrant working three jobs, the person battling depression in silence. Are we aware? Do we see them? More importantly — do we respond?

Pope Francis often reminds us of the “globalization of indifference” — a condition in which we become numb to the suffering of others. This parable is Jesus’ wake-up call. We cannot be passive Christians. We cannot be people who close our eyes and our hearts while others suffer at our gates.

And yet, there is hope in this Gospel too. Jesus tells us this story not to condemn, but to convert. As long as we are alive, it is not too late to bridge that chasm. We do that by encountering Christ in the poor, by opening our homes and hearts, by using our blessings not just for ourselves but for others.

Let us remember the words of St. John Chrysostom, who said, “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.” Jesus is present in the Eucharist — yes — but also in the poor, the marginalized, and the broken. To love them is to love Him.

Key Takeaway:

Let us not wait until it's too late to see and respond to the suffering around us. Each day is an opportunity to bridge the chasm — by opening our eyes, our hearts, and our hands to those in need. In serving them, we serve Christ.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus,
You opened the eyes of the blind and the hearts of the hard-hearted.
Open our eyes to see those who suffer at our gates.
Soften our hearts, that we may not pass them by,
but welcome them as we would welcome You.
Help us to use our blessings to bless others,
and to live with compassion, generosity, and love.
May we one day be carried to Your side,
having loved as You loved.
Amen.