Here is a painting from about five years ago. The Rich Man and the Poor Man, based on the parable Jesus tells in the Gospel of Luke.
A poor beggar, covered with sores, miserable, hungry, sits at the gate of a wealthy man. This rich man simply ignores him. That's all. He doesn't kick this homeless man, he doesn't order him beaten. As far as he is concerned, the poor man isn't even there.
Both men eventually die. Lazarus goes to Heaven. And the rich man? He ends up in the Other Place.
His only sin was the sin of omission. He isn’t in Hell because of what he did. Rather, he is condemned because of what he didn’t do. He failed, simply, to love his neighbor as he loved himself.
How do I love myself? When I am hungry, I eat. When thirsty, I get a drink. When cold, I put on something warm. When sick or injured, I go to the doctor. I love myself in very practical ways.
Sobering.
I updated the setting to more modern times. The Rich Man and his Barbie girlfriend ignore the miserable man at their feet. The wealthy man's dogs, sleek, well fed, well groomed, lick the homeless man's sores. They alone recognize him as "one of the pack" and offer the only help they can.
A poor beggar, covered with sores, miserable, hungry, sits at the gate of a wealthy man. This rich man simply ignores him. That's all. He doesn't kick this homeless man, he doesn't order him beaten. As far as he is concerned, the poor man isn't even there.
Both men eventually die. Lazarus goes to Heaven. And the rich man? He ends up in the Other Place.
His only sin was the sin of omission. He isn’t in Hell because of what he did. Rather, he is condemned because of what he didn’t do. He failed, simply, to love his neighbor as he loved himself.
How do I love myself? When I am hungry, I eat. When thirsty, I get a drink. When cold, I put on something warm. When sick or injured, I go to the doctor. I love myself in very practical ways.
Sobering.
I updated the setting to more modern times. The Rich Man and his Barbie girlfriend ignore the miserable man at their feet. The wealthy man's dogs, sleek, well fed, well groomed, lick the homeless man's sores. They alone recognize him as "one of the pack" and offer the only help they can.
Here is a much better painting, by Bonifazio Veronese. Not to be confused with Paolo, who was the better of the two artists. ( Alas, if Paolo painted the same scene, I have not found it. )
And, here is the text, from the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke:
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ “
You may also enjoy listening to Maddy Prior singing “Dives and Lazarus” in a live performance, on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl3xFnoDZ_I
And, here is the text, from the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Luke:
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ “
You may also enjoy listening to Maddy Prior singing “Dives and Lazarus” in a live performance, on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl3xFnoDZ_I
RSS Feed