Luke 16: 19-31
"There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"
Personal Reflection
The part about this Gospel that amazes me the most is Abraham's insistence that miracles are not necessary for people to believe. Often I find myself begging God for some sign or obvious guidance to confirm or refute a decision I have made or must make. My husband and I have joked, on occasion, that we need God to hit us over the head with a 2x4 for us to know what to do. It is said in good humor, but there is a lot of truth to the point that it is difficult for me to discern God's will in my life when choosing between two or more good things.
I wish for a sign, but what I should do instead is hope to hear the Lord's voice more clearly. When big decisions are looming in my future, I feel as if I am stabbing in the dark at an answer. The real answer is to work on my relationship with Christ, so I can discern His voice. Since He is my shepherd, I should be able to distinguish His voice amidst the chaos of indecision, just as a flock of sheep follow the voice of their protector and no other.
How much do I hope for signs of God's love? existence? mercy? etc? Do I know people who receive such signs? Instead, how can I learn to better recognize the loving voice of my Creator? Do I depend on Christ's guidance? Do I hear His voice clearly? When in my life have I heard His voice most clearly? What was my spiritual life like to enable such intimacy? How can I gain that intimacy today?
Are there people in my life, family or friends, who are not believers? Would a miraculous sign really change their mind? What can I do to help them hear the voice of God without such a sign? What is my obligation in bringing Christ to others and leading them towards Heaven and away from eternal torments?
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