The Gospels of this Lenten Season have given us stories of Jesus’ bringing people into new life… the Samaritan Woman, the Man Born Blind… The other readings have described God as a God of life who wants us to flourish, rather than be subjected to the powers of death.
In the first reading today Ezekiel proclaims this promise of God:
… My people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them… I will put my spirit in you that you may live.
In the second reading Paul promises us that God gives us the Spirit of life, not death.
Today’s Gospel then tells us the story of Jesus giving life to a dead Lazarus. Let’s look at this story.
Martha, Mary and Lazarus were dear friends of Jesus. When Jesus would go up to Jerusalem for a visit he would probably stay with them in Bethany, a village about 2 miles from Jerusalem, across the valley with the brook Kedron running through it, and up over the steep hill where the Garden of Gethsemane is located.
Lazarus dies, and Jesus goes to console Martha and Mary.
The occasion is so sad that at the tomb of Lazarus Jesus himself cries…
He cries because of the loss of his friend…
He cries at the distress and grief of Martha and Mary…
He cries at the victory of death over life…. Lazarus was probably still a young man.
Then Jesus is moved to bring new life into this occasion of death…
Lazarus, come forth!
What joy, what exaltation…
for once… the powers of death will not reign…
For once… joy overcomes sadness…
and the cries of rejoicing replace the cries of grief and loss.
Jesus brings new
life…
What might this story mean to us? How might we apply it to our lives?
Our culture is always promising new life, joy, happiness, fulfillment….
If you buy this car, that jewelry, these designer clothes…
If you go to this spa, or that vacation spot, or that entertainment club…
If you get a tummy tuck, a botox injection, or liposuction…
or maybe even an extreme makeover…
you will have new life, happiness, and maybe even recognition.
These things are not evil…
But we as disciples of Jesus know that this cultural “stuff” will never bring us their guaranteed happiness, new life, or fulfillment.
We know that life is more then “stuff”,
more then the way you look,
more than what you wear.
The story of Lazarus tells us that life is about friendship,
about accompanying our friends,
even when the going gets rough,
and about being life-givers…
I could ask about how Jesus might bring new life into our lives… in what part of our lives do we need the healing and new life that Jesus brings?
What powers of death entomb us, hold us wrapped in bondage, sap us of joy and vitality… fear, sickness, sadness, unforgivingness?
Can we bring this to Jesus and trust He will free us from what binds us?
How do our friends or family need the new life that Jesus brings?
What holds them entombed, in bondage… addictions or sickness?
I could talk about that….
But today I’d like to talk about how we disciples of Jesus are asked to bring new life and healing into the lives of others…
how we are called to be other Christs in our world.
I want to give an example which I recently experienced of this facet of discipleship… our being life givers for others.
Her name was… I’ll call her Martha…
She was a widow, and active in her parish.
Every weekday morning after Mass she comes to the altar,
receives a container of consecrated hosts,
and takes them to a nearby nursing home, to give to the Catholic residents.
I accompanied her one morning… I
was giving a
As we entered each room of a resident receiving communion Martha would walk over to the resident,
call his or her name,
and give them a hug and a kiss.
This never failed to bring a smile to the face of the resident, regardless of their condition.
We would chat a bit, and Martha would bring up something about the resident… perhaps a family member, or a recent medical problem of the resident… something personal to each resident.
I remember Sophie, an elderly lady in a wheelchair, whom Martha mentioned would be saying the Our Father with us, but in Serbian – her native language…. Sophie’s face lite up as we prayed together, and as she said her Our Father, in Serbian.
With each resident, as we ended our prayer, the resident would thank us for coming, for spending a little time with him or her,
and for bringing them the Lord.
Something else I noticed… the staff at the Home all knew Martha, and would greet her with a warm smile.
And there were a number of residents who were not Catholic…
but Martha would go to them, hug them, and chat with them…
and their faces would always light up with an appreciative smile.
She even asked me to say a prayer over several of the non Catholic residents who were receptive to that…
and I gladly did so.
Martha brings life… a smile, a hug, concern, time spent with…
What compassion and care she gives these little people…
Some of whom are the “forgotten” ones…
Entombed in loneliness and diminishment and isolation,
Wrapped in regrets…
With the power of life, the power of love, the power of Jesus…
Martha calls out:
Lazarus, come forth / John, come forth / Peggy, come forth.
As I reflected on my experience at that nursing home I realized something… in going there I was called out from my own tomb – my tome of self-concern and self-centeredness…
Donald, come forth… to serve my people.
Jesus calls all of us to come forward… out of our tombs,
and Jesus gives all of us the power to give life, to encourage, to affirm others…
How do we treat others… at home, at work, at school?
Do we praise others, encourage others, thank others?
Are we kind to people – kindness – a forgotten practice in a hurried, hastled, hustling culture?
How do we treat the “forgotten” ones?
Do we take any time with “forgotten” ones? – like the folks at that nursing home?
Are there any sick in our lives that we spend time with?
Lent is a time when we Catholics prepare for recommitting ourselves to our Baptismal vows which we will do at Easter. Lent is a time when we ask ourselves…
How am I doing? Am I following Jesus? Do I bring life into my world? Or do I contribute to the darkness… maybe even curse the darkness… instead of lighting a candle – perhaps the candle of kindness?
Let’s pray…
Jesus, help us to follow in your footsteps.
As we come to this altar, especially at communion time, come into our hearts with your life… give us life where we need new life.
Help us to be life-givers in our world… our daily lives, our families, on our jobs, in our city and neighborhood.
And if we can, help us to be a life giver to any “forgotten ones” we might know or meet.
Amen.