The rich man had no name: he could be just anyone of us! Am I absolutely sure I'll have a place in heaven like Lazarus? The rich man wasn't really a cruel man; he did no physical harm to Lazarus - he just ignored him, while allowing him to lie at his gate. But that's what led him to face disastrous circumstances.

In this story we see the clear sign of God's preferential option to the poor! The poor have a 'name' which is a symbol of their dignity as God's chosen ones. The rich, on the other hand everything they could wish for, and enjoy and be proud of. But they forfeited the friendship of God with God, which is a special prerogative of God's chosen ones. And if we want to be among the 'blessed and elect' we need to become human again; be sensitive to the needs of others, giving ourselves over without counting the cost. God's kingdom is made up of the 'least, the little, the lost, and the last in our world. The call today is to become more human, day by day restoring God's image in ourselves!