“Bridging the Great Chasm” a sermon by Rich Novak

Good morning church!

We have a unique situation today where all three readings complement and reinforce each other around a common theme. However, just like hitting that underhand softball pitch that seems so simple, but is not, these readings seem simple but they are not. And they have often been misquoted and misinterpreted.

In the first reading, Amos, an 8th-century BCE prophet, spoke during a time of wealth and expansion in Israel under Jeroboam II. The nation was prosperous, but social injustice, complacency, and religious corruption were rampant. These verses are part of his “woe oracles,” warning the elites of impending judgment. The issue was not that people were wealthy or comfortable, but they ignored the suffering of their people and he called them out on their complacency and indifference in the face of need. It is too simplistic to say that Amos is railing against the wealth or comfort of Israel.

In the second reading, the author who writes in a Pauline voice (most scholars don’t think Paul actually wrote this) writes to Timothy about how believers, especially leaders, should live in a world where wealth and status tempt them away from faithfulness. The writer reminds us that true wealth is not found in money but in a life rooted in God. “Godliness with contentment is great gain,” he writes, because possessions are temporary; we came into this world with nothing and will leave it the same way. The danger is not money itself, but the love of money—the restless desire to have more—which can pierce the soul and pull us away from faith.

Finally, today’s Gospel is one of Jesus’ most sobering parables. It tells the story of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. Note – this is not Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, whom Jesus called forth from the tomb. The name means “God helps”. It’s not a comfortable story, but it is a necessary one. It shakes us awake. It reminds us that how we live our lives here and now—how we treat others, how we use what God has entrusted to us—has eternal consequences. This is not a parable that says Money is Evil, but rather Love of Money is Evil because it distracts us from keeping our eyes on Christ.

This parable is not merely about wealth and poverty; it is about blindness and awareness, hardness of heart and compassion, selfishness and discipleship. It’s about how followers of Jesus are called to see differently, to act differently, and to live differently.

1. Two Men, Two Realities

Jesus paints a vivid contrast. On one side is the rich man: dressed in purple and fine linen, feasting sumptuously every day. He has more than enough, and he surrounds himself with comfort. At his very gate lies Lazarus, covered in sores, hungry for crumbs, with dogs as his only companions.

Notice: the rich man is not condemned simply because he is wealthy. Lazarus is not rewarded simply because he is poor. What condemns the rich man is his blindness—his indifference to the suffering at his doorstep. He stepped over Lazarus day after day. He saw him, but he did not really see him.

As followers of Christ, we are called to open our eyes. Who is lying at our gate? Who is being ignored in our neighborhood, our community, our society? Do we see the Palestinians who are suffering in Gaza as people, as children of God, or as expendable to the aims of a Zionist campaign? This Gospel reminds us that discipleship begins with seeing the people God places in our path.

2. Death Reveals the Truth

Both men die, as we all must. Lazarus is carried by angels to Abraham’s side—a place of comfort, dignity, and belonging. The rich man finds himself in torment, separated by a great chasm.

The reversal is stark. What was hidden in this life is revealed in eternity. The rich man’s wealth could not follow him; his comforts evaporated. But the mercy of God lifts Lazarus, who had been cast aside in life, into eternal embrace.

This is not meant to scare us with visions of fire. It is meant to remind us that the choices we make in life matter. Our faith is not abstract. It is lived in daily decisions: how we treat others, how we spend our time, how we use our resources, how we notice—or ignore—the needs around us. Rich and poor both die. That’s a fact. For all his billions, Elon Musk will not take his earthly wealth with him, nor will he avoid death.

3. The Great Chasm

One of the most haunting lines in the parable is this: “Between you and us a great chasm has been fixed.”

That chasm was not created at death. It was created during life. Every day the rich man ignored Lazarus, the chasm between them grew wider. Every time he feasted while Lazarus starved, the distance deepened. By the time death came, the separation was complete.

As followers of Jesus, our calling is to bridge those chasms here and now—chasm between rich and poor, powerful and powerless, insider and outsider. We bridge them not with words alone but with presence, compassion, and action. To follow Christ is to be a bridge-builder, to close the gap between ourselves and those in need.

4. Listening to Moses, the Prophets, and Christ

The rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers. Abraham’s reply is striking: “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.”

In other words: the message has already been given. God’s word is clear. The Law and the Prophets cry out for justice, mercy, and compassion. We don’t need extraordinary signs to know what God expects of us.

And yet, Abraham’s words point to an even greater truth: “Neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” How prophetic! Jesus Himself would rise from the dead, and still many would not believe.

As disciples, we do not wait for spectacular miracles to guide us. We already have Scripture, the witness of the Church, and the risen Christ Himself. The question is: will we listen? Will we let His word shape our lives?

(if time – story about the person who ignored the warnings, the rescue boat, the helicopter and then blamed God)

5. Living as Followers of Jesus Christ

So, what does this mean for us today? How are we to live as followers of Jesus in light of this parable?

- First, we are called to see. See the Lazaruses at our gates: the lonely neighbor, the struggling co-worker, the hungry child, the forgotten elderly, the marginalized in society, the Palestinians suffering in Gaza, the children in Ukraine. Discipleship begins with awareness.
- Second, we are called to act. Love is not passive. Following Jesus means responding with compassion—sharing what we have, speaking up for those who have no voice, offering time, presence, and care.
- Third, we are called to listen. We have Moses, the prophets, the Gospels, and the living witness of Christ. His words are not suggestions; they are invitations to a new way of life. We have had modern day prophets – Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, Scott Rush. Will we let His word reorder our priorities?
- Finally, we are called to hope. This parable ends with warning, but also with hope. Lazarus is lifted up. God’s justice prevails. And for us, the good news is this: it is never too late to change. The rich man ignored Lazarus until death—but we are still alive. We still have time to see, to act, to love.

6. Following Christ Daily

Following Jesus is not about occasional acts of charity or moments of generosity. It is about a way of life. It is about carrying our cross daily, practicing mercy daily, offering forgiveness daily, and letting Christ reshape our hearts day by day.

The saints of the Church did not become holy overnight. They became holy by following Christ one choice at a time. So too with us. Every day is an opportunity to close the chasm, to build the bridge, to follow the One who has already crossed the ultimate chasm between heaven and earth to save us.

Conclusion

Friends, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not a story about “them.” It is a story about us. Each of us is faced with the choice: will we live with eyes open or closed? Hearts soft or hardened? Will we build bridges or widen chasms?

As followers of Jesus Christ, let us live in such a way that when our own lives come to an end, we too will be carried by angels—not because of wealth or poverty, but because of mercy lived, compassion shown, and love made real.

So let us go forth and see, act, listen, and hope—living our lives as true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Amen.