.
†. Luke 16:23-25 . . The rich man died and was buried. In hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.
Luke 16:19-31 is often claimed to be a parable. But I have to ask: Can you think of even one of the Lord's many parables that could not possibly, by any stretch of the imagination, be a true story? Neither can I. Every one of them could easily pass for a genuine event taken from real life; and my next question is: Why would Luke 16:19-31 be the one lone exception? And besides; three real-life people are named in the story: Moses, Lazarus, and Abraham. In no other of the Lord's many parables are people named.
If the Lord were to fabricate a fictional tale about real-life people; wouldn't that create a false impression about them? If the rich man, and Lazarus, and Abraham weren't actually in the netherworld at the time of the story, then why would the Lord say they were if it were not so? I honestly don't think that a man who labels himself the truth would stoop to saying untrue things about real-life people.
†. John 14:1 . .You believe in God, believe also in me.
I just don't think I could trust a man who tells whoppers about real-life people. Nobody's reputation would be safe in his hands.
You know what can be even worse than going to hell? Your own children following you down there. Here's a cute story I heard once. I don't know if it's true or not but it sure is pertinent.
A boozing farmer went out to his barn in the dead of night after a snowfall to sneak a pull from his liquor bottle. Just as he got to the barn door he heard something behind him. Turning, the farmer recognized his little boy coming towards him. In amazement he asked the little guy how he ever managed to find his way out to the barn in the dark. His son replied: It was easy; I walked in your footsteps.
For some families, the only thing they have to look forward to in the afterlife is a sad reunion in fire; for example:
†. Luke 16:27-29 . . Then he said: I beg you therefore, father [Abraham] that you would send [Lazarus] to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.
That poor man had no way to contact his surviving kin and let them know where he was; but his biggest fear was that he knew them well enough to know that all five were coming down where he was-- there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Imagine that man's anguish had those five been his children.
BTW: the man's five brothers have long since joined him. Luke recorded that event nearly two-thousand years ago.
Buen Camino
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