On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from an element of the day's liturgy. Please take a few moments to refresh your memory of today's gospel:
Then Jesus told them this parable. “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 Abraham, 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.’”
How many times in my life, Lord
have I read this parable?
How many times have I heard it
at Sunday mass?
How many times, Lord,
have I preached this parable?
And what, if any, difference has this story had
on my life?
on my approach to creature comforts?
on the life style I take for granted?
on my compassion for
and outreach to the poor?
on my understanding of a relationship
between my life now and my life in eternity?
The unavoidable truth is this, Lord:
You have risen from the dead...
You have given me warning about my life
and my responsibilities as your follower...
You have called me to repentance...
Help me hear this parable again, Lord:
open my thoughts and my heart
to a deep understanding
of its meaning and message...
Help me understand this parable
as a story meant for me,
as your message to me
about my life now - and my life forever...
I know you hear the cry of the poor, Lord:
help me hear their cry - now -
that I might live with your forever...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
Most of us will be familiar with The Cry of the Poor by John Foley, S.J. Here's a beautiful performance by The Sunday 7 PM Choir from Ontario, Canada. This presentation is deepened and enhanced by photos of Timothy Schmalz's bronze scupture, Homeless Jesus (installed in places around the globe, including the Vatican). These images are poignantly paired with photos of homeless people in the same posture as the bronze. As many times as I've sung and heard The Cry of the Poor, I've never been as moved as when praying it with these images...
The Cry of the Poor by John Foley, SJ
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