There is a rich contrast presented when a priest or deacon reads today’s Gospel, clothed in the purple robes of Lent. For the rich man, his purple linen symbolises opulence and wastefulness, as purple dye was incredibly expensive to produce. In contrast, the purple robes of the priest reflect the passion of Christ, who was dressed in an ‘elegant robe’ — traditionally depicted as purple — and then mocked by the soldiers who gave him false homage (Luke 23:11).

The story of the rich man and Lazarus should give us all pause, for the hungry and excluded remain at the gates of our societies, even though we live in a time of unparalleled wealth and opulence. Pope Francis, in his powerful encyclical Fratelli Tutti, writes about the ‘throwaway’ culture in which we live. He is not merely referring to material waste—though that is important—but also to people discarded and deemed unworthy of help. Lazarus is emblematic of these discarded people, while the rich man represents a familiar attitude of indifference.

Despite feasting sumptuously, the rich man is himself consumed by hunger and thirst. Like the ‘parched wilderness’ described by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17:6), his spiritual emptiness blinds him to the suffering of Lazarus. Driven by greed, he has no compassion to spare.

Lent calls each of us to a profound change of heart. We are invited to feast on compassion and quench our thirst with love. Our eyes must be opened to the needs of the poor, and we are called to offer a ‘sumptuous’ response in action, not just in thought. Lazarus is at our gates too. How will we respond?

by Fr Michael Grace