In the Gospel, Jesus cries out, “Lazarus, come out of the tomb!” And out comes Lazarus, bound with burial wrappings.
That passage brings us an essential Gospel message as we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week and contemplate the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Jesus teaches that everyone who lives and believes will never die. He bids that they loosen the ties of death: "untie him and let him go."
At Oxford University, in the lobby of a chapel, there’s a statue of Lazarus bound from head to foot. That image could symbolize who we are and what we should be about: asking that we be untied from the many things that undermine our relationship with God and one another. A powerful prayer whenever we enter a church: God, free me from attitudes and behaviors that hinder me from becoming my true self.
The word of God first carries us back to the sixth century before Jesus. The Hebrews are despondent; the Babylonians conquered them, demolished their temple and deported many. But Ezekiel proclaims that God will breathe his spirit into the “bones” of the demoralized Hebrews. You may remember the song by African-American author James Weldon Johnson, a 20th century song with "negro spiritual" flavor: “Dem bones, dem dry bones. Now you hear the word of the Lord? Toe bone connected to your foot bone. Foot bone connected to your leg bone..." etc. The image is graphic. The dead bones will knit together; flesh will cover them; and the spirit of God will breathe new life into them.
That is our destiny and our challenge here on earth: to live as new creatures, called to become like God in our daily lives.
Paul in his letter to the Christian community at Rome declares that the spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells within us. That spirit can energize us so that we will manifest the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Paul reminds us to let the spirit of God transform us into living shrines.
In the Gospel, Jesus cries out, “Lazarus, come out of the tomb!” And out comes Lazarus, bound with burial wrappings.
Two things always puzzled me. If Jesus loved Lazarus, why didn’t he rush when he first heard he was ill, instead of staying where he was for two more days. Moreover, we are told Jesus was "perturbed," upset when he did arrive.
But in fact, this emphasized the raising of Lazarus as a threshold sign in the unfolding of our own salvation history, a sign of his power to give us eternal life; and a promise to put the imperishable on our perishable selves, to put the immortal on our mortal selves.
Second, “Jesus wept.” He lost a friend and didn’t have a chance to say good-bye. But then Jesus gave a “second chance” and brought Lazarus back to physical life. I wonder: did the “second chance” change Lazarus dramatically?
We have been given many second chances. What are we doing differently with this opportunity?
Eugene O'Neill, who wrote “Long Day's Journey into Night,” also wrote a play titled "Lazarus Laughed." In the play, people gathered at Lazarus' home to mourn. But now, Lazarus is raised from the dead and grieving is transformed into rejoicing. Lazarus' father offers a toast: "To my son, whom a blessed miracle has brought back from death."
Lazarus interrupts, "No! There is no death." The folks echo as a question: "There's no death?" And Lazarus laughs, and says, happily, "There is only life. I heard the heart of Jesus laughing in my own heart. 'There is only eternal life,' it said. 'Laugh, laugh with me. Fear is no more.' " Fear not, for the Lord is with you. Fear not, for the Lord is telling you, ‘If anyone believes in me, even though they die, they will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’ "
Yes, in the agony of Good Friday is the ecstasy of Easter. Life leaped out of death. Nothing will separate us from the love of God, to paraphrase Paul's words to the Romans. We are alive with the life of God. The triune God lives within us and we live within the triune God.
The Spirit’s hidden power equips us with gifts so that we can become our true selves, in the likeness of God: we possess by virtue of the life-giving waters of baptism the gifts of wisdom to focus on what truly matters in life; understanding and knowledge, to probe more deeply into the mysteries of God; counsel to make good moral decisions; fortitude or courage to stand up for what is right; piety to give God praise and worship; and fear of the Lord: a healthy concern never to lose our relationship with God.
In light of today's gospel, we might “shout out” to Jesus: help untie me from attitudes and behaviors that prevent me from becoming my true self. We pray that God will empower us to leap into new life, with the triune God and one another. Amen.
