Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 5; The Holy Martyr Aretas and those with him (523);
Galatians 6:11-18; Luke 16:19-31
Read Luke 16:19-31
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Even though today`s story is described as a parable, it has to be one of the more realistic ones. Jesus may have someone in mind when He’s telling the story. It describes a great chasm between heaven and hell, in which it is impossible to cross over from one to the other. This parable seems to challenge many of the jokes in which a person goes back and forth between heaven and hell and tries to figure out where they would rather stay.
This parable is a wake-up call. It is either/or. We must choose between heaven and hell right here, right now. We should also be aware how strongly God feels about neglected poor people. How many times have you helped a poor person in the last month?