Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/619

 the necessity  of  penance  and  of  hope  in  the  promised  Redeemer. He sinned, secondly,  by  immoderate  pride. It was  not  avarice  which  made him refuse  his  help  to  poor  Lazarus,  whom  he  passed  eveiy  day  of  his life, but  pride,  which  made  him  despise  the  poor  man  and  refuse  to vouchsafe  one  glance  at  him. Pride made  him  hard  hearted  and  unloving, and  his  self-love  speedily  developed  into  selfishness. He sinned, thirdly, by  intemperance  (gluttony) in  eating  and  drinking,  giving  splendid banquets every  day,  for  which  reason  he  is  also  known  as  the  rich  glutton.

The Justice  of  God.  The  everlasting  reward  of  Lazarus  and  the everlasting punishment  of  the  glutton  teach  us  to  know  the  justice  of God. But God’s  justice  is  also  shown  by  His  temporal  reward  of  the rich man,  while  on  earth,  for  what  little  good  he  had  done. Perhaps, in his  earlier  days,  Dives  had  sometimes  prayed,  or  had  given  an offering  to  the  Temple;  and  because  God,  in  His  Omniscience,  knew that this  man  would  remain  impenitent  to  the  end,  and  would  go  to hell,  He  gave  him  his  reward  on  earth. On the  other  hand,  Lazarus had probably  committed  sins  in  his  youth. But he  had  heartily  repented of them,  and  by  his  misery  on  earth  made  satisfaction  for  them,  and suffered his  temporal  punishment  in  that  way; so  that  when  he  died  he was  at  once  received  into  the  abode  of  the  just. Nothing that  is  good is left  unrewarded,  and  nothing  that  is  sinful  is  left  unpunished. Thus the fate  of  Dives  ought  to  serve  as  a grave  warning  to  the  rich  not  to forget  God  or  the  care  of  their  souls,  and  to  make  a right  use  of  their riches, especially  by  alms-deeds. And the  everlasting  reward  of  Lazarus ought to  bring  consolation  to  the  poor  and  suffering  and  teach  them not to  murmur  or  lose  courage,  but  to  endure  all  in  patience  and  resignation, fixing  their  hope  on  God  and  His  everlasting  riches. “Blessed are the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”

Unbelief. He  who  will  not  believe  the  teachers  appointed  by  God (Moses and  the  prophets  under  the  Old  Law,  and  the  Church  under the  New  Law),  would  not  believe,  even  if  one  rose  from  the  dead  and came to  preach  to  him. Lazarus was  called  back  from  the  grave  by our  Lord,  and  Christ  Himself  rose  from  the  dead,  and  yet  the  majority of the  Jews  refused  to  believe!

Whom would  you  wish  to  be  like,  Lazarus or the  rich  glutton? Would you  prefer  to  spend  your  short  time on earth  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  then  suffer  the  everlasting torments of  hell? Or would  you  rather  be  poor  and  humble  on earth,  and  suffer  patiently  whatever  God  sends  you,  and  then  rejoice for ever  in  heaven? You must  choose:  it  is  a case  of  heaven  or hell! Fear the  just  God  and  keep  His  commandments. Say to-day a prayer to  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  gift  of  holy  fear.

“In all  thy  works  remember  thy  last  end,  and  thou  shalt never sin”  (Ecclus.  7,  40).