Memories and the world to come by Gary Rose

This is a picture of the Muchachos drum and bugle corps from about the year 1962 or 1963. As I recall, the corps was about two years old at that time, so it had not reached its greatest number of members. Overall, the corps was a very good experience for me, as its emphasis on discipline and teamwork had positive effects that reverberated throughout the decades that followed. I met my wife at the corps, but she joined sometime after this picture was taken. Today, I only remember the names of a few of the people pictured here and fewer still are the people I keep in touch with.

Life is fleeting, enjoy what you can and learn from all your experiences. Be the best person you can be while on this earth, for after you leave it you will reap the consequences of what you have done.

Consider these scriptures…

Luke 16 (World English Bible)

  ¹⁹  “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.   ²⁰  A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores,   ²¹  and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.   ²²  The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.   ²³  In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.   ²⁴  He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’ 

  ²⁵  “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish.  ²⁶  Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’ 

  ²⁷  “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house;   ²⁸  for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’ 

  ²⁹  “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ (emphasis added)

  ³⁰  “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 

  ³¹  “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’” (emphasis added)

Two men, Lazarus (who was a beggar) and a rich man. Lazarus lived a terrible life, but the rich man had a everything that the world offered. Yet, in the afterlife the beggar was blessed and the rich man was in torment. What did each do to deserve their fate? As I read it the text, it does not really say, but the think that Abraham’s response to the rich man’s request gives us a clue. Abraham says two times that Moses and the prophets should be the ones that the rich man’s family should listen to, rather than someone risen from the dead. Could it be that the rich man just did not listen to the word of God?

Good question and something to ponder. I wonder what God will say to us when we meet HIM? What I do know is that we will be reminded of what we have done in this life and be judged appropriately for it. Live so that when we see Jesus, he will say to us: well done, good and faithful servant!!!

PS. Just in case you are wondering, I am in the second row, underneath the hat. Can’t recognize me? Go to newbiblereflections.blogspot.com and scroll down until you see a younger version of myself (it will be on the right).