Gospel Reading

Gospel:
The Holy Gospel According to St. Luke. (Chapter 16:19-31)

At that time, the Lord told this parable: “There was a certain rich man who used to clothe himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted every day in splendid fashion. And there was a certain poor man, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. And it came to pass that the poor man died and was borne away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; but the rich man also died and was buried in hell. And lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember you in your lifetime have received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now here he is comforted whereas you are tormented. And besides all that, between us and you a great gulf is fixed, so that those who wish to pass over from this side to you cannot, and they cannot cross from your side to us.’ And he said, ‘Then, Father, I pray you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they too come into this place of torments.’ And Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ But he answered, ‘No Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not believe even if someone rises from the dead.”