To the editor,
I have been watching the goings on in Washington, as have many others. I have seen a couple of very rich men decide giving food to African children dying of malnutrition was a scam and a waste. Shortly thereafter, their largely wealthy followers laid the groundwork to take food assistance and health care away from countless poor people and give the money to the richest among us.
As a citizen in whose name this is being done, I feel I should speak out. As I considered what to say, I realized a commentary on this sort of situation was made long ago whose truth, wisdom and eloquence I could never aspire to.
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31.
As we go through life, we will all encounter Lazarus if we take the time to look. It may be a poor mother struggling to feed her children or a homeless veteran. It may be a drug addict or an old person deciding between medicine, food and rent. The one sure thing is that Lazarus will be at all of our gates at one time or another. It may be that how we decide to handle that situation will be the most important decision we ever make.
Respectfully submitted,
Ed Norman
Ronceverte
