A person who thinks only about building walls and not building bridges is not a Christian. Such things are not in the gospel. —A certain pope
For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful. I am a Christian! —A certain president
* * *
Jesus would not be with the pope on everything, but he would be with him on this: Those who build walls are not Christians. Such things are not in the gospel.
That’s true. Walling people out is not in the gospels.
But this is.
Once upon a time, there was a certain rich man named Dives and a certain beggar named Lazarus who squatted at the rich man’s gate every day.
Dives ignored Lazarus. Didn’t see him. Offered no assistance. Not even crumbs from his sumptuous table. Dogs licked the sores on Lazarus’s body.
Dives and Lazarus died.
Dives went to Hades. Lazarus to the bosom of Abraham.
Dives could see across the great divide. He could see that Lazarus was blissfully comfortable. Dives begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers not to do as he had done lest they, too, end up in a place of torment.
Abraham replied, They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.
No, Father Abraham, that’s not good enough. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.
Sorry. If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.
That’s a parable. (Luke 16.19–31, paraphrased)
Hades, Abraham’s bosom, Dives, and Lazarus are fictions, but the moral lesson is not. How we treat others has long-term consequences. Social divisions are hard to overcome. But gaps can be bridged.
As it turns out, the right way to live is given in the books of Moses (the Torah) and the prophets—and in all the great religions and ethical systems of the world. The Golden Rule is universally acclaimed. Truth is shouted from every mountaintop and along every byway.
Be kind. Practice justice. Be humble.
We don’t need the Resurrection to make those imperatives any more obvious. The way is well known: Love one another.
That’s in the gospels. And so is this.
Woe to you who are rich, said Jesus. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. What will it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul?
Do you still want to be a Christian, Mr. President?
Do you still want to be a Christian? That’s the question for so many to stare in the face and answer. Thank you for this rich parable.
Mr. Trump doesn’t want to be A Christian, he wants to be THE Christian — the Greatest, most important Christian ever. He wants to redefine Christianity by being THE Christian, make it Great Again, in fact, make it Greater than it ever was!!! Even better than Jesus made it (because he was a loser anyway, got killed by the Romans, told us that as we did it to the least of these we did it to him).
If the soul has totally atrophied and crumbled away, then blown away like chaff, the answer would be, “I will choose to gain the whole world.”
Separation of church and state means nothing anymore, I guess. Christian sharia law, here we are?
What a deeply important lesson & reminder! I heard today of “the shyness of the crown”, where some trees leave a space between themselves & those next to them – to allow them each to get the sun & space they need to grow – so that they all may live & thrive. Living together in harmony. Making space for one another. Love.
May “the rich learn of the midnight sighing of the poor”, & share the light & gifts of this world… before it is too late…This existence gives us the opportunities to learn & grow & develop our spiritual eyes & ears & hearts & crowns…which, I believe, will help us not only now, but in the next world. True Christians (& true members of all faiths) live all around us, in many forms…
Thank you Randy & all.
It is the height of hypocrisy and heresy to claim the Lamb of Peace and the God of Love when all your wealth and all you are comes from violating all Jesus and the prophets taught. 47’s sins are terrible but his mockery of all things sacred is most damning. But the most prevalent Christian church in America has lifted him to become America’s first dictator. How can followers of Jesus not confront that?
I give the nod to be kind, practice justice, and be humble. As you note, these notions are universally acclaimed across the centuries. As well there are those who act in a manner that these notions and norms do not apply to them. Depending on their station and reach, their impact can be negligible to a grave threat to mankind.
I agree as well that the books of Moses and the prophets offer a “right way” to live, but the best that has been done across the centuries is the potential of hope delivering us to a better place in seemingly hopeless times.
“These things were written to teach us so that we might have hope” (Romans 15:4), but hope is an essential ingredient for action.
Money and possessions have been the mainstay of this country for so long; the roots are so deep and the brainwashing advertisement industry is so strong that following the teachings of Jesus is barely possible.
Trump already lost his soul, and now he’s slipping into madness as he tries to gain the world.
As for me, I’m going to splurge on the sublime guilty pleasure of schadenfreude 😀
The Golden Rule ( not the Hokey Pokey) IS what it’s all about! Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place? Or even, wouldn’t the USA be?
Can’t help thinking of that Golden Cow of old, lately….It’s right up front and personal. Right back to “ All that glitters is certainly NOT gold” . 🤔