Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 16,19-31.
| Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. |
| And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, |
| who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. |
| When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, |
| and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. |
| And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ |
| Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. |
| Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ |
| He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, |
| for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ |
| But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ |
| He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ |
| Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'” |
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
 | Saint Gregory the Great (c.540-604) Pope, Doctor of the Church Book XII, Morals on the book of Job |
Pass away to everlasting!
| “Thou hast strengthened him for a little space, that he might pass by for ever.” Job 14:20 |
| Man has been ‘strengthened here for a little space,’ in that he has received here powers of living for a while, that he should for ever pass away thither, where no end should bound and shut in his life, but in this moment’s space where he has been ‘strengthened,’ he extracts that wherefrom in the everlasting world he may either find how always to have joy, or not ever escape the punishments he has entered upon. And for this reason, that ‘he has been strengthened for a little space,’ to ‘pass away for everlasting,’ it is fitly added immediately; |
| Thou wilt change his countenance, and send him away. ‘The face of man is changed,’ when his form is wasted by death; but ‘he is sent away,’ in that from those things which he kept willingly he is necessitated to pass away to the eternal world against his will, and while he is brought thereunto, these things which he held long and thought on, how it will be with them now left behind him he knows nothing. Hence it is added; |
| Whether his sons be in honour or dishonour, he perceiveth not. For as they, who are still living, know nothing of the souls of the dead, in what place they are held; so the dead, concerning the life of those living after them in the flesh, know not at all how it is ordered; in that both the life of the spirit is far from the life of the flesh, and as the corporeal and incorporeal are things different in kind, so are they parted in knowledge. Which however is not to be imagined concerning holy souls, in that they which behold the brightness of Almighty God within, we cannot for a moment suppose that there is any thing without that they know not. |