Τοῦ πλουσίου καὶ τοῦ Λαζάρου (Λουκ. 16,19-31)

Τοῦ πλουσίου καὶ τοῦ Λαζάρου (Λουκ. 16,19-31)

Anthony Bloom (Metropolitan of Sourozh (1914- 2003))

 Εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος.

Ὅπως κάθε παραβολὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ποὺ μιλάει γιὰ τὴν κρίση, ἡ σημερινὴ παραβολὴ εἶναι πολὺ ἁπλὴ ὡς πρὸς τὸ νόημά της καὶ ταυτόχρονα θὰ πρέπει νὰ τὴν ἐξετάσουμε βαθύτερα.

Τὸ ἁπλὸ νόημά της εἶναι τοῦτο: Εἴχατε στὴν γῆ ὅ,τι ἦταν καλό, ὁ Λάζαρος δὲν εἶχε τίποτα· ἑπομένως ἀποκτᾶ στὴν αἰώνια ζωὴ ὅλα τ’ ἀγαθὰ ποὺ τοῦ εἶχαν λείψει στὴ γῆ καὶ ἐσεῖς τὰ στερῆστε. Ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ δὲν συνιστᾶ τὸ ἀληθινὸ καὶ βαθύτερο νόημα τῆς παραβολῆς.

Ποιὸς εἶναι ὁ πλούσιος; Εἶναι ὁ ἄνθρωπος ποὺ δὲν κατεῖχε μόνο ὅλα τὰ ἀγαθὰ ποὺ ἡ γῆ μποροῦσε νὰ τοῦ προσφέρει: πλοῦτο, καλὸ ὄνομα, κοινωνικὴ θέση ἀνάμεσα στοὺς συμπολίτες του· ἦταν ἕνας ἄνθρωπος ποὺ δὲν λαχταροῦσε κάτι ἄλλο. Ὅ,τι ἤθελε, ὅ,τι χρειαζόταν ἦταν ὁ ὑλικὸς πλοῦτος, μιὰ καλὴ θέση ἀνάμεσα στοὺς ἀνθρώπους, τὸν θαυμασμό, μιὰ δουλικὴ ὑπακοὴ ἀπὸ ἐκείνους ποὺ ἦταν κατώτεροί του.

Ὁ Λάζαρος δὲν κατεῖχε τίποτα· ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τὴν παραβολὴ μαθαίνουμε ὅτι δὲν παραπονιόταν, δεχόταν ὅ,τι δὲν ἤθελε ὁ πλούσιος· ἔτρωγε τὰ ψίχουλα ἀπὸ τὸ τραπέζι του. Ἀλλὰ εἶχε μία ζωντανὴ ψυχή· ἴσως νὰ λαχταροῦσε κάτι περισσότερο: ποιὸς ἄνθρωπος δὲν θέλει νὰ ἔχει μία στέγη, νὰ ἔχει ἐξασφαλισμένη τροφή; Ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνος δεχόταν ὅ,τι τοῦ ἔδιναν μὲ εὐγνωμοσύνη.

Καὶ ὅταν πέθαναν, τί πῆραν μαζί τους; Ὁ πλούσιος δὲν εἶχε τίποτα νὰ πάρει, ἐπειδὴ ποτὲ δὲν νοιαζόταν γιὰ ὁ,τιδήποτε δὲν μποροῦσε νὰ τοῦ προσφέρει ὁ κόσμος. Ὁ Λάζαρος πάντα ποθοῦσε περισσότερα ἀγαθὰ ἀπ’ αὐτὰ ποὺ ἡ γῆ μποροῦσε νὰ τοῦ προσφέρει: ἐπιθυμοῦσε δικαιοσύνη, εἰρήνη, ἀγάπη, συμπόνια, ἀλληλεγγύη- ὅλα ἐκεῖνα τὰ πράγματα ποὺ κάνουν τὸν ἄνθρωπο νὰ εἶναι ἄνθρωπος. Ὁ πλούσιος ζοῦσε μιὰ ζωὴ παρόμοια μ’ αὐτὴν ποὺ περιγράφεται σὲ μιὰ ἀπὸ τὶς προφητεῖες: Ὁ λαὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπαχύνθη ἀπὸ τὸν πλοῦτο καὶ λησμόνησε τὸν Θεό… Ὁ φτωχὸς δὲν μποροῦσε νὰ κάνει κάτι τέτοιο· ἦταν τόσο φτωχὸς γιὰ νὰ ριζώσει στὴν γῆ- ἦταν ἐλεύθερος.

Αὐτὴ ἡ παραβολὴ λοιπὸν ἀφορᾶ ὅλους μας· διότι ὅλοι μας ἔχουμε μέσα μας τὸν πλούσιο καὶ τὸν Λάζαρο. Ἀπὸ τὴ μία πλευρὰ πόσο πλούσιοι, πόσο ἀσφαλεῖς εἴμαστε. Ἀπὸ τὴν ἄλλη, ἐὰν βρισκόμαστε τώρα ἐδῶ, πάει νὰ πεῖ ὅτι στὴν ψυχή μας, ὑπάρχει μία ἄλλη διάσταση ποὺ λαχταρᾶ κάτι ἄλλο. Ἀλλὰ μένει νὰ κάνουμε μία ἐρώτηση: Ἐὰν ἔπρεπε νὰ διαλέξουμε, τί θὰ διαλέγαμε; Τί εἶναι αὐτὸ ποὺ πραγματικὰ θεωροῦμε πολύτιμο; Εἶναι ἡ ἀσφάλεια ποὺ μέχρι τώρα ἡ γῆ μᾶς ἔχει προσφέρει- ἢ εἶναι ἡ ἀπεραντοσύνη, τὸ βάθος στὸ ὁποῖο κατανοοῦμε τὸν Θεό, ἡ κοινωνία μας μαζί Του, ἡ ἀγάπη γιὰ τὸν πλησίον, ἡ συμπόνια – τόσα ἄλλα πράγματα ποὺ μᾶς ἔχει διδάξει τὸ Εὐαγγέλιο;

Καὶ αὐτὸ εἶναι τὸ σημεῖο ὅπου ἀναφέρεται ἡ παραβολή, δὲν ἀναφέρεται μόνο σὲ δύο ἄνδρες ἀπὸ τὸ παρελθόν, ἢ σὲ ἄλλους, ἀλλὰ ἀναφέρεται σὲ μᾶς προσωπικά: ποιὸς εἶμαι- ἢ ἐὰν προτιμᾶτε, καὶ ποὺ εἶναι τὸ πιὸ σωστὸ – ποιὸς ὑπερισχύει μέσα μου; Μοιάζω περισσότερο μὲ τὸν πλούσιο, τόσο ριζωμένος στὴ γῆ, ὥστε τὰ πράγματα ποὺ ἀφοροῦν τὸ πνεῦμα, τὴν αἰωνιότητα, ἢ πιὸ ἁπλὰ ὅ,τι εἶναι ἀληθινὰ ἀνθρώπινο ἔρχεται δεύτερο –ἢ εἶμαι ἀπὸ ἐκείνους γιὰ τοὺς ὁποίους σημασία ἔχει ὅ,τι εἶναι ἀνθρώπινο, περισσότερο ἀπὸ ὁτιδήποτε ἄλλο;

Κι ἔπειτα, ὑπάρχει κάτι ἄλλο στὴν παραβολή. Ὁ πλούσιος βλέποντας τὸν ἑαυτὸ του στερημένο ἀπὸ τὰ πάντα, στρέφεται στὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ λέει: «Στεῖλε τὸν Λάζαρο στοὺς ἀδελφούς μου ποὺ εἶναι ἀκόμα στὴ γῆ νὰ τοὺς εἰδοποιήσει, γιὰ νὰ μὴν ἔλθουν σὲ τοῦτο τὸν τόπο τῆς βασάνου». Καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς λέει ὅτι ἀκόμα καὶ ἂν κάποιος ἐπιστρέψει ἀπὸ τοὺς νεκρούς, ἐὰν δὲν ἄκουσαν ὅ,τι ἀποκαλύφθηκε στὸ παρελθόν, δὲν θὰ πιστέψουν, θὰ χαθοῦν μέσα στὶς ἁμαρτίες τους.

Πῶς, αὐτὴ ἡ παραβολὴ δὲν ταιριάζει κατὰ τρόπο τραγικὸ μὲ τὴν κατάσταση τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅταν στέκονταν συνωστισμένοι ὅπως τὸ ἄλεσμα γύρω ἀπὸ τὸν Σταυρὸ ὅπου πέθαινε ὁ Κύριος. Κάποιοι ἦταν πιστοί, ὁ δικός Του λαὸς - ἀλλὰ ποῦ βρίσκονταν; Εἶχαν σκορπίσει. Κάποιοι ἦταν μαθητές Του, μὲ πίστη ποὺ ἔφτανε στὸ βάθος τῆς ὕπαρξής τους, μὲ καρδιακὴ πίστη, οἱ γυναῖκες ποὺ Τὸν εἶχαν ἀκολουθήσει – στάθηκαν σὲ ἀπόσταση· μοναχὰ ἡ Μητέρα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης, στάθηκαν δίπλα στὸν Σταυρό.

Ἀλλὰ μέσα στὸ πλῆθος, ὑπῆρχαν ἄνθρωποι ποὺ μαζὶ μὲ τὸν Ἀρχιερέα, τοὺς Φαρισαίους ποὺ εἶχαν καταδικάσει τὸν Θεό, ἔλεγαν: «Κατέβα τώρα ἀπὸ τὸν Σταυρὸ – καὶ θὰ πιστέψουμε…» Πόσοι πολλοὶ σκέφτηκαν: μόνον ἐὰν κατέβαινε ἀπὸ τὸν Σταυρό, θὰ πιστεύαμε χωρὶς νὰ παίρναμε κανένα κίνδυνο, θὰ πιστεύαμε μὲ ἀσφάλεια, μὲ σιγουριά· θὰ πιστεύαμε καὶ θ’ ἀκολουθούσαμε Κάποιον ποὺ τώρα ἡττημένος, στιγματισμένος, ἔχοντας δεχθεῖ τὴν ἀπόρριψη τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κρέμεται στὸν Σταυρὸ ἀνάμεσα σὲ δύο ληστές; Δὲν μποροῦμε…

Αὐτὸ εἶναι τὸ νόημα τῆς παραβολῆς· καὶ ποὺ μᾶς ἀποδεικνύει ἡ ζωὴ τόσων πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων.

Ποῦ βρισκόμαστε; Εἴμαστε προετοιμασμένοι νὰ πιστέψουμε τὸν λόγο τοῦ Θεοῦ; Εἴμαστε ἕτοιμοι, αἰχμάλωτοι τῆς ὀμορφιᾶς, τῆς ἀνείπωτης, ἀνέκφραστης ὀμορφιᾶς τῆς προσωπικότητας τοῦ Χριστοῦ, νὰ Τὸν ἀκολουθήσουμε μὲ κάθε κίνδυνο; Καὶ γνωρίζουμε ὅτι ὁ κίνδυνος εἶναι πολὺ μεγάλος: Θὰ στιγματιστοῦμε, θὰ μᾶς κοροϊδέψουν, θὰ εἴμαστε ξένοι, οἱ ἄνθρωποι θὰ μᾶς θεωροῦν ἀλῆτες τῆς γῆς, ὄχι προσκυνητὲς τοῦ Οὐρανοῦ· εἴμαστε ὅμως ἕτοιμοι νὰ τὸ κάνουμε αὐτό;

Πρέπει νὰ σκεφτοῦμε τὶς δύο αὐτὲς ὄψεις τῆς παραβολῆς· γιατί διαφορετικὰ ἡ παραβολὴ εἶναι ἄσχετη μέ μᾶς - καὶ ὅμως, ἔχει τόσο πολὺ σχέση μὲ τὴ ζωή μας.

Ἂς τὴν σκεφτοῦμε βαθιά, κρίνοντας τὴν συνεχῶς. Ὁ Θεὸς δὲν μᾶς κρίνει μὲ σκοπὸ νὰ μᾶς καταδικάσει. Ὁ Θεὸς μᾶς προετοιμάζει πραγματικὰ καὶ μᾶς ζητᾶ ἕνα πράγμα: Ν’ ἀνταποκριθοῦμε στὴν ἀλήθεια! Δὲν ἀποδεχόμαστε ἕναν κόσμο ποὺ εἶναι μία χίμαιρα! Μὴν ἀποδέχεστε τὸν ἑαυτό σας, ἐνῶ ἡ ζωὴ σας παραμένει μιὰ ζωὴ ἀπατηλή: νὰ εἶστε ἀληθινοὶ καὶ τότε θὰ γίνετε παιδιὰ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Καὶ τί μπορεῖ νὰ εἶναι πιὸ σπουδαῖο, ἀδελφοὶ καὶ ἀδελφές τοῦ Χριστοῦ, υἱοὶ καὶ κόρες τοῦ Ζωντανοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἀγγελιοφόροι τοῦ Θεοῦ στὴ γῆ. Μποροῦμε νὰ ἐλπίζουμε σὲ κάτι μεγαλύτερο; Καὶ ὅμως αὐτὸ εἶναι ποὺ προσφέρεται σὲ ὅλους μας καὶ στὸν καθένα χωριστά. Τί θαῦμα! Τί χαρά! Πῶς μποροῦμε νὰ τὸ ἀρνηθοῦμε; Ἀμὴν
 

5th of November 1989
 

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

As every of Christ's parables of the judgement today's parable has got a very simple aspect and at the same time should be reflected on a deeper level.

The simple aspect is this: you have had on earth all that was good, Lazarus has had nothing; he therefore receives in eternity all the goods which he has lacked on earth and you are deprived of it. But this is not the real and deeper meaning of it.

Who is this rich man? It is a man who not only possessed all that the earth could give him: wealth, a good name, a status among his follow-citizens; it is a man who craved for nothing else. All he wanted, all he needed was material wealth, a good standing among men, reverence, admiration, a slavish obedience of those who were under him.

Lazarus possessed nothing; but from the parable we see that he did not complain, he received what the rich man needed not; he ate the crumbs from his table. But — he had a living soul; perhaps did he crave for more: who doesn't want to have a roof, who doesn't want to have the security of food? But he received what was given with gratitude.

And when they died, what did they take with them? The rich man had nothing to take because he had never had any concern for anything that the earth couldn't give. Lazarus had always longed for more than the earth could give: for justice, for peace, for love, for compassion, for human brotherhood — for all those things which make the human being human. The rich man was in ф condition which is described in one of the prophecies: Israel has grown fat with wealth and has forgotten God... The poor man could do no such thing; he was too poor to be rooted into the earth — he was free.

Now, this applies to all of us; because all of us we possess within ourselves both the rich man and Lazarus. On the one hand, how much we have, how rich we are, how secure, how opulent. On the other hand, if we are here, it means that there is another dimension within our soul that longs for something else. But the question is to be asked: if we had to choose — what we would choose? What is what we really treasure? Is it security which the earth so far has given us — or is it the vastness, the depth of understanding, communion with God, love of our neighbour, compassion — so many other things which the Gospel has taught us?

And this is where the parable refers not only to two men of the past, or to others than we are, it refers to us personally: who am I, — or if you prefer, which is more fair — who predominates in me? Am I more like the rich man, so rooted into the earth that the things of God, the things of the spirit, the things of eternity, or simply, what is truly human comes secondly — or am I one of those for whom what to be human matters more than anything?

And then, there is another thing in the parable. The rich man, seeing himself devoid of all, of every thing turns to Abraham and says, Send Lazarus to my brothers who are still on earth to give them a warning, that they may not come to this place of torment... And Christ says, Even if one came back from the dead, if they have not listened to what has been revealed in the past, they will not believe, they will perish in their sin...

How, that echoes in a tragic way with the situation in which people were when they stood as a milling crowd around the Cross on which Christ was dying. Some were believers, His own people — but where were they? They had fled. Some were His disciples faithful at the core of their being, faithful with their hearts, the women who had followed Him — they stood at a distance; only the Mother of God and John stood by the Cross.

But in the crowd there were such who, together with the High Priest, the Pharisees who had condemned Christ, were saying: Descend now from the Cross — and we shall believe... How many thought: If He only did that, we could believe without taking any risk, believe with security, safely; believe and follow One Who had already won His victory; but can we, can we possibly believe and follow One Who now, defeated, reviled, rejected hangs on the Cross between two criminals? We can't...

That is what the parable says; and which is shown in the life of so many.

Where do we stand? Are we prepared to believe Christ's word? Are we prepared, captured by the beauty, the ineffable, the unutterable beauty of Christ's personality to follow Him at all risk? And risk, we know, is great: we will be reviled, we will be laughed at, we will be strangers, people will think that we are tramps on earth, not that we are pilgrims of Heaven; but are we prepared to do this?

We must give thought to these two aspects of the parable; because otherwise it is irrelevant, it has nothing to do with us — and yet, so much it has!

Let us think of it, deeply, standing judgement before it. God does not judge us in order to condemn. God presents us with reality and asks of us only one thing: Respond to reality! Do not accept a world which is a mirage! Do not accept yourself while you remain a mirage: be real, and then you will be children of the Kingdom.

And what can be greater: brothers and sisters of Christ, sons and daughters of the Living God; and messengers — messengers of God on earth. Can we hope for anything greater? And yet — this is what is offered to each and all of us! What a wonder, what a joy! How can we turn away from this? Amen.