1 Timothy 2.1-7; Luke 16.1-13
In this Season of Creation this passage invites us to reflect on climate justice. So our focus turns to the people already bearing the brunt of a damaged planet - especially the poor and the vulnerable who, like Lazarus, find themselves at the gates of plenty, overlooked and unheard.
The reality of climate change is not abstract. It is visible in retreating glaciers, scorching temperatures, floods that wash through towns and villages, droughts that leave fields barren. But perhaps most painfully, it is experienced most by those least responsible for its causes. Entire communities are being displaced by rising seas. Livelihoods based on farming or fishing are crumbling due to changing weather patterns. Access to water, food, and shelter - already fragile for many - is becoming more precarious leading to warfare and famine.
Many of the world’s poorest communities live in regions most exposed to environmental collapse. They bring deep knowledge of the land and resourcefulness shaped by generations of experience. Yet the scale and speed of climate change pose challenges no one should face alone. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and degraded ecosystems are pushing people beyond what traditional practices can sustain. Families are making difficult choices - protecting their children, feeding their communities, preserving their cultures - often with little external support. The task before us is not to act on their behalf, but to work alongside them in love, the agape love Jesus tells us is the mark of the Christian community, sharing resources and standing together for a just and sustainable future for all.
The parable Jesus tells in this passage does not explain everything about poverty, but it does shine a spotlight on indifference. The rich man does not harm Lazarus. He simply does not respond. The gate between them becomes a silent witness to a relationship that never formed. What is troubling is not just the wealth but the refusal to recognise a neighbour.
It is a story that challenges not only personal morality but structural inaction. Unknowingly and knowingly it is the wealthy nations of this world – us - who have consumed vast tracts of land and changed the climate. Yet those with the fewest emissions - those with the smallest ecological footprint - are the ones bearing the brunt of the effects losing their homes, crops and health.
But the Gospel of Jesus does not stop at guilt. It always calls us beyond it - into confession, repentance, and hopeful action. Christian hope is not passive. It is not wishful thinking. It is the firm belief that God is still at work in the world, and that those who follow Christ are called to take part in that renewing work.
Hope can feel fragile when faced with the scale of environmental loss. Species vanish. Forests burn. Coral reefs bleach and crumble. But even here, hope can and does takes root through faithful action to make a difference, inspired by the knowledge that God does not abandon creation. The Spirit of God that hovered over the waters at creation still breathes through the Earth today, healing, restoring and inspiring the Church to make a difference.
Our call is to refuse complacency, to be attentive and to have courage. Unlike the rich man of the parable, it means paying attention to the voices of those already affected by the coming storm. It means changing how we consume, how we waste, how we vote, and how we live as Christian brothers and sisters, blood relations in Christ, to those in peril now.
Knowing that it is our sister and our brother in peril now moves the call to change from a nice idea to an urgent necessity. Always it means remembering that creation is not a backdrop to our lives. It is the common home of humanity along with the rest of creation.
And there ar good news stories. Around the world, churches are acting, planting trees, restoring land, helping communities adapt to the changing climate. In Rwanda churches are working with communities to promote agriculture resilient to climate change. In Zambia, Malawi and Burundi faith communities are partnering to develop solar powered micro grids, helping rural communities to become self-reliant in clean power,. A Rocha Ghana is working with communities to restore mangrove forests, restoring nature and improving the livelihood of communities. A Rocha Peru is working with communities to protect the endangered Pacific Dry Forest and benefit the lives of low income families. A Rocha Australia is working with the Ngarrindjeri First Nations in coastal restoration. These are not grand gestures. They are faithful ones. Through A Rocha UK and Eco Church we can be part of this movement here, helping to restore the UK for nature, one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.
The rich man asks, too late, for someone to warn his family. But the truth has already been spoken - through Moses, the prophets, and now the gospel of Christ. We are not waiting for more information. We are called to discernment, humility, and action. The gate need not, should not, remain closed.
Hope, then, is not a soft word. It is a brave one. It looks honestly at the pain of creation and chooses to care. It listens for the voice of the Spirit in groaning ecosystems and grieving communities. It refuses to look away.
In this Season of Creation, may we carry forward not only our love for the beauty of the Earth, but a deep commitment to justice for those most affected by its wounding. May we listen, act and pray. Not out of fear, but out of love. Not with despair, but with hope grounded in the God who makes all things new.
Amen.