Lent: the raising of Lazarus

This week's scriptures draw us even deeper into the experience of meeting Jesus, trusting him and following in his footsteps ... even foreshadowing the miracle of Easter, a few weeks in advance.

He gives life

Throughout the weeks of Lent, we have encountered various moments, each of which has allowed us to draw closer and closer to Jesus and to grow in our ability to trust him.  We have stood by his side has he himself was tempted by the devil after having spent almost six weeks in the desert (Mt 4:1-11), we have sat with him at the well where he met the woman of Samaria (Jn 4:4-41) and we have been astounded by his ability to cure blindness (Jn 9:1-41). Today, we see yet another level of his power.

God the Father gave human beings life.  He alone has the ability to give and to take life.  The gospel account of the raising of Lazarus helps us to appreciate this fact and to give thanks to our brother Jesus for the compassion and empathy that he shares with us, especially when we are in need.

Martha, Mary and Lazarus had met Jesus at some point in his travels.  They had invited him into their home.  He and his disciples had probably visited with them on more than one occasion.  The people in the town of Bethany probably knew them all.  Perhaps on more than one occasion while they sat at table with Lazarus and his sisters, they had spoken about the teachings of the scriptures, including the promise that is spoken of in today’s first reading: Thus says the Lord ... I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people (Ez 37:12).  We do not know the words they may have shared around that table, but in today’s gospel we see the fulfillment of this prophecy.

I’m willing to bet that Martha and Mary would never have dreamed that they would have to bury their brother and face the possibility of having to spend the rest of their lives relying on the generosity of others, yet this was exactly the predicament that they faced.  How often do our lives take twists and turns that we would never have planned for, nor even dreamed to be possible, yet it is in the lived experience of daily life that our faith is both tested and rewarded.

By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already died.  Following the Jewish custom, he would have been buried on the day of his death and the week following his funeral would have been a period of mourning.  People from the village would have come every day to visit with Martha and Mary, to console them.  In return, they would have provided food and refreshments for their guests.  In the midst of these visits, Jesus and his disciples arrived and Martha went out of the house to meet him, even before he arrived.  Her words tell us right away that she was a woman of deep faith: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (Jn 11:21).  These are the words of a woman who is in pain, ready to point blame, but Martha continues: even now, I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him (Jn 11:22).

Perhaps during those table conversations she had had with Jesus, Martha had already struggled to understand all that he had taught.  Perhaps she had spent many hours in prayer and reflection.  Prayer allows us to transform the knowledge that is in our heads into the heart knowledge that we call faith.  It takes a lot of faith to be able to believe even when the persons we love have been taken from us, but that’s the point of the story.  When the parade of our lives meets the parade of Jesus journey through history, there is the possibility for healing, which in turn leads to increasing levels of trust.

Martha knew that Lazarus would rise again in the resurrection on the last day (Jn 11:24) but she did not expect to witness the miracle that Jesus had in mind.  His words would have sounded too good to be true: Whoever believes in me will live ... and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die (Jn 11:25-26) yet she was quick to acknowledge her faith. In response to Jesus’ question, she affirmed: I believe that you are the Christ ... (Jn 11:27).

Martha and Mary were human.  Just like us, they wept.  Jesus witnessed their tears and was filled with compassion for them.  He rewarded their faith by allowing them to witness the impossible that came to pass that day; we too can grow in our faith through the story of the raising of Lazarus. 

In a few weeks, we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.  He who has overcome the power of death promises the gift of new life to all of us as well.  Do we believe that he truly has the power to call out to us, even through the sealed walls of a tomb?  Do we believe that one day he will be calling out to us too: Lazarus, come out! (Jn 11:43) and that his words have the power to restore us to life?  This is the unbelievable truth that he came to tell us.   He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in us (Rom 8:11)  Believe it.  It’s true.  Miracles do happen.