Lazarus and the Rich

Lazarus and the Rich

There was a rich man
clothed in purple linen.
Who fared sumptuously daily

and had many women.

And there was a certain beggar named

Lazarus which laid at his gate full of sores.
But the rich man was deaf to his
beseeches and implores.

It came to pass that the beggar died
and was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.
When the rich man died too,
he was dragged to Satan’s chasm.

And in hell he lifted up his eyes
and saw Abraham and Lazarus
“Send Lazarus with a drink to cool
my lips from fires hot and hazardous.”

Son, remember his torturous
life while you had pleasure.
Now you shall feel his plight,
while his reward is leisure.

And beside all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed:
One cannot pass between the two realms
there is no bridge betwixt.

I pray therefore that he be sent to my
Father’s house to explain my torment.
For I have five brethren; that he may testify
unto them that they might repent.

They have Moses and the
prophets from which to learn.
But if one went unto them from
the dead, then they would turn.

If they hear not Moses nor the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
Though one should rise from the dead.
Their ignorant pride is so elevated.

*

There was a certain rich man,
which had an accounting steward;
Who embezzling from his Master
and acting generally untoward.

His Master called him,
Do you not think I would discover.
Give me now a full account,
for I intend to recover.

The cunning steward thought I cannot
dig or beg – I’m a man of letters.
So he altered all the accounts
in favor of the Master’s debtors.

Writing off receivables
by twenty to fifty percent.
To earn their later favors
and general consent.

And in the end though his master
found and respected this fraud
He applauded the steward’s cunning,
for the children of this world know not God.

Therefore, do honestly with the mammon
of the unrighteous in powerful stations.
That, even if ye fail you will be received
into everlasting habitations.

He that is good and faithful in that which
is least is faithful also in much
And he that is unjust in
the least is unjust also in much.

If therefore ye have not been faithful with
the mammon of those big britches,
Who will commit to your trust
the true and holy riches?

And if ye have not been
a good and trusty fiduciary.
Who will give you that
which is your own to carry?

No servant can serve two masters
that is to say both God and Greed
For you will lose one and
love the other guaranteed.

It is impossible but that
offences will come hence.
But woe unto him who
leads others into offence.

It would be better for him if a
millstone around his neck was tied,
Than to offend a little child; and be cast
into the sea so deep and wide.

Take heed, If thy brother trespasses
against thee, rebuke him;
If he repents, forgive him, even
seven times a day (though you may want to nuke him.)

But which of you, having a servant
working in the field, will offer on occasion
When he is come from the field,
“Come and sit down and eat – Let’s have a conversation.”

Or will you rather say unto him, Make ready
dinner and serve me mine.
Gird thyself, and serve me, till I have
eaten and only then you can dine.

*

Lord, Lazarus of
Bethany is very sick.
Mary and Martha have sent
me to fetch you quick.

He is so ill, on his
death bed he is stricken
I shall abide here two days
and then I shall quicken.

And he stayed and worked
there two more days:
Let us go again to
Judea upon the morrow’s rays.

Master, the Jews wish to stone you,
and you return there again?
Are there not 12 hours before
the light and day doth wane?

He stumbleth not if
any man walk in the day,
Because he seeth the light of this
world as a warm golden sunray.

If a man walks in the day,
he doesn’t trip, for he has the light.
But he does trip, for he has no
inner light, when the day turns to night.

Our friend Lazarus is
sleeping now – I go to awaken him.
Then he’ll be fine on his own, Lord.
No, Listen, Death hath taken him.

I am glad I wasn’t there,
for now you shall know what is true.
Come let us all go, said Thomas,
that we may die with him too.

And when they arrived they
found a great mourning wake.
And Martha came out to meet them
with the sad news to break.

He has been dead now these four days.
My brother whom you so cherished.
Jesus, if you had only been here
he never would have perished.

But even now, I know that
whatever you ask, you obtain…
Martha, believe me when
I say your brother will rise again.

I know that I will see him on
the final day, we shall have divine protection.
Martha, hear me now…
...I Am the resurrection.

He that believeth in me,
though dead, yet he will live.
Whoever liveth and believeth
in me, eternal life I give.

Martha, Do you believe?
Yea, Lord: I believe the Christ art thou.
The Son of God which should
come into the world, blessed are we now.

The Master is come,
and calleth now for thee, Mary
As soon as Mary heard that,
she arose quickly, and didn’t tarry.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the town,
but was in the place where Martha had come.
The Jews which were comforting her
in the house making a somber and piteous hum.

When they saw Mary going out hastily,
they followed her saying, she goes to the grave to weep
When she found Jesus she fell down
at his feet, as to a Shepherd by his sheep.

Lord, if thou hadst been here,
well would ye have made him.
Ohhh, Mary, Mary…
Where have ye laid him?

Lord, come and see
where his body is kept.
.......
And then Jesus wept.

Behold how he loved him! But this
man opened the eyes of the blind,
Could he not also the
shrouds of death unwind?

Jesus therefore again groaning
in himself cometh to the grave.
Jesus said, Take ye away
the stone from the front of the cave.

Lord, by this time he stinketh:
for he hath been dead four whole days.
Martha, Said I not unto ye, that
you’d believe, you will see God’s glorious rays.

Father, I thank you, for you hear me
from the South and East to West and North.
That they may believe that thou hast sent me
….Lazarus, come forth! ! !

And he that was dead walked
from the grave, with grave cloths wound.
Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, let him go.
For he had freed him whom death had bound.

Then many of the Jews
believed which came to Mary.
But some of them went to the

Pharisees for they were still wary.
 
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