There'll Be No Excuse For Ignorance
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
My dear encountered couples:
The Jewish people had the Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament, and they were very well versed and educated in it. The rich man in our story did not live up to the Scriptures. So, when he found himself in hell he could not plead “ignorance.” And his brothers weren’t going to be able to plead ignorance either.
“Father Abraham,” the rich man called. “Send Lazarus to my father’s house where I have five brothers. Let him be a warning to them so that they may not end in this place of torment.” Listen to what Abraham answered: “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.”
They had the Scriptures written by Moses and the prophets. They knew how they were supposed to live; they knew quite well how they were to treat their fellow men and women.
If they ended up in hell with their rich brother, they would have no one to blame but themselves. They could never get by with pleading ignorance. Neither can you nor I.
We know what Jesus taught, we know what he commanded, we know right from wrong, virtue from vice.
If we end up in hell, there’s one thing for sure: Like the rich man and his brothers, none of us will ever be able to plead “Ignorance.”
