The Raising of Lazarus

By Fr. Conor Donnelly (proofread)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, that you see me, that you hear me. I adore you with profound reverence.

I ask your pardon for my sins and grace to make this time of prayer fruitful. My Immaculate Mother, St. Joseph, my Father and Lord, my Guardian Angel, intercede for me.

There was a man named Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha, and he was ill. It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.

The sisters sent this message, Jesus, Lord, the man you love is ill. On receiving the message, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death, but it is for God's glory, so that through it the Son of God may be glorified. “

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. And when he heard that he was ill, he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, let us go back to Judea. This miracle is one of our Lord's most outstanding miracles.

It demonstrates the power of Jesus over death. St. John first sets the scene, then he gives the conversation with the sisters of Lazarus, and he reports the raising of Lazarus four days after his death.

Bethany was only about three kilometers from Jerusalem. And on the days before his passion, our Lord frequently visited this family, to which he was very attached.

And St. John records the affection of our Lord by describing his emotion and sorrow at the death of his friend. By raising Lazarus, our Lord shows his divine power over death and gives proof of his divinity.

He confirms the faith of the apostles and reveals himself as the resurrection and the life.

Most Jews believed in the resurrection of the body. Martha also believed it. And the return of Lazarus to life is a sign of our future resurrection. Christ, by his glorious resurrection, through which St. Paul says he is the firstborn from the dead, is also the cause and model of our resurrection.

Christ's resurrection is different from that of Lazarus. Lazarus will die again, as will all the other people who are raised from the dead by Christ, the daughter of Jairus.

But Christ rises glorious and triumphant from the dead, never to die again. The disciples said: “Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews were trying to stone you. Are you going back there again?”

And so, the disciples remind our Lord of the atmosphere of hostility, intrigue and hatred that's in the air.

Three attempts have been made to stone our Lord, but they were not successful because his hour had not yet come. And when the crucifixion comes, that will be the hour of his enemies.

Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? No one who walks in the daytime stumbles, having the light of this world to see by. Anyone who walks around at night stumbles, and the light of the day is gone. Having no light as a guide.”

The Gospel of John has often been called the Gospel of Light. There's a continual interplay between light and darkness. And Christ is the light. The hour of his crucifixion will be the hour of his enemies and of the power of darkness.

But until that time, it is daytime. And our Lord can walk about without his life being in any danger.

He said that and then added, “Our friend Lazarus is at rest. I am going to wake him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he is at rest, he will be saved.” Jesus was speaking of the death of Lazarus. But they thought that by rest he meant sleep. So, Jesus put it plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

Sometimes our Lord speaks very clearly, so that the apostles get the message. Too slow a wit, too dull of heart, how long will I be with you? And so, our Lord spells it out for them.

And then he said, “And for your sake, I am glad I was not there, because now you will believe. But let us go to him.” And Thomas, known as the twin, said to the other disciples, “Let us also go to die with him. “

Very courageous words. Thomas is full of enthusiasm and encouragement, full of faith in this particular moment. He who had so little faith.

His words are also reminiscent of the words of the apostles at the Last Supper, which said that they would be ready to die for him.

The apostles had already stayed loyal when many disciples had left after the discourse on the bread of life. St John reminds us in chapter 6 that after this, many of his disciples went away and no longer walked with him.

Then Jesus said to the twelve, “What about you? Do you want to go away too?”

Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. And we believe and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God. “

Beautiful words for us to consider in these days as we approach Holy Week, beautiful words of Peter, full of faith.

We can also say the same thing to our Lord. To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Your words, Lord, are spirit and they are life we say frequently in the Responsorial Psalm. In Christ we find the meaning and the purpose of our life.

And very particularly in Christ in Holy Week, in Christ on the cross, we find the meaning and the purpose of our life. And so up to now, the apostles remain faithful to our Lord, remain loyal and faithful in spite of their personal weaknesses. But that's going to change.

After the betrayal of Judas, it's as though the weaknesses of the apostles is unleashed a little more. Our Lord allows himself to be arrested without offering any resistance. Forbidding the use of weapons, Peter drew his sword. And our Lord has to say, put your sword back in its scabbard. And at this they become disconcerted and run away. Peter, we're told, follows our Lord at a distance.

It's now no longer safe and politically correct to walk close to Christ. Closeness to Christ can bring some demands on his life that at this moment he's not willing to give. Only St John will remain faithful to our Lord in the hour of his greatest need. And on arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already.

We were told at the beginning of this passage that when our Lord heard that Lazarus was ill, he still delayed two more days where he was as though giving time for it to be very clear that Lazarus was dead.

Bethany, we're told, was only about two miles from Jerusalem.

And many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will grant you whatever you ask of him.”

St Josemaria comments on the confidence with which Martha speaks to Jesus. Almost chiding him.

And St Augustine says that Martha's request is a good example of confident prayer. A prayer of abandonment to the hands of God.

She did not ask our Lord to raise her brother to life again. She said, I know you can do it if you want. And when Mary comes to him, she's going to say something similar.

“If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

There's great confidence and intimacy there. In other places in the Gospel, we are reminded that our prayer has to be like the prayer of Mary.

Wheen at other moments we'll sit at the feet of our Lord and listen to his word. She contemplates him.

Our Lord is to say, “Martha, Martha, you were anxious and troubled about many things and yet only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part. And it will not be taken away from her.”

We are all Marthas. We have to become Marys.

And these days and hours, with the richness of the passion and the intensity of our Lord's work, which is the work of redemption. He lives intensity in his work.

We're called to a deeper spirit of contemplation. And we have the graces each year to go deeper in that contemplation.

Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha said, “I know he will rise again at the resurrection of the last day.”

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. The one who was to come into this world.”

When our Lord defines himself as the resurrection and the life, he's giving one of the most concise definitions that he ever gives of himself. He is the resurrection.

Because by his victory over death, he's the cause of the resurrection of all men. And the miracle he works in raising Lazarus is a sign of Christ's power to give life to people.

By faith in Jesus Christ, the Christian is also sure that he too one day will rise. Death is not the end, but a step to the eternal wedding feast.

And so, in the preface of Christian death, we're told, Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed not ended and the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death. We gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven. And by saying that he is life Our Lord is referring not only to that life, which begins beyond the grave. But also, to the supernatural life, which grace brings to the soul of man.

I still a wayfarer here on earth. That life, which the father has promised and offers to each man in Christ is the final fulfillment of man's vocation. We will come and make our abode in him. It's the fulfillment of the destiny that God has prepared for him for all eternity.

And this divine destiny is advancing all the time. In spite of all the twists and turns of human destiny and time. In spite of all the richness, the riches of life in time. We are led to the frontiers of death and the goal of the destruction of the human body. Beyond that goal we see Christ.

And so that preface continues. In him who rose from the dead our hope of resurrection dawned. The sadness of death gives way to the bright promise of immortality.

Lord, for your faithful people. Life is changed not ended.

It's a good thing to try and find the preface of each Mass and see the richness of the words of the prefaces; generally, a prayer of thanksgiving. It is right always and everywhere to give you thanks - the first words of many prefaces begin. And so, man shares with the whole of visible creation the necessity to which matter is subject. It will pass - that life is changed not ended.

And so, the Gospel continues.

When she had said this. She went and called her sister Mary saying in a low voice. “The master is here and wants to see you.”

Hearing this Mary got up quickly and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village.

He was still at the place where Martha had met him. And the Jews who were in the house comforting Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Mary went to Jesus.

And as soon as she saw him, she threw herself at his feet saying, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.”

Whenever we hear feet mentioned in the Gospel, something very important is taking place. The leper came with thanksgiving, he fell at the feet of Jesus. Mary washed the feet of Jesus before his crucifixion.

At the sight of her tears and those of the Jews who had come with her. Jesus was greatly distressed and with a profound sigh he said “Where have you put him?”

They said “Lord come and see.”

Jesus wept. And the Jews said, “See how much he loved him.”

Jesus wept. St. John gives us this not very common insight into the emotions of Christ. The depth and tenderness of the feelings of our Lord. Just as St. John had let us see our Lord sit down beside the well because he was tired, here we also find him weeping.

It is very manly to weep. Every man has need at a certain moment in his life to weep. It is very important that we express our feelings in certain ways. We get those emotions out and those tears out.

And the Jews said, “See how much he loved him.”

Lazarus was a true friend of Jesus. He weeps for his friend. And if the physical death of a friend can move our Lord to tears - what will we not feel of the spiritual death of a sinner?

As we enter into the heart and wounds of Christ, we have to try and sense that weeping that Christ has for sinners and get a deeper appreciation of the gravity of sin. So that we ask Our Lord for the grace in the coming Holy Week to develop a true hatred for all sin – for mortal sin but also for venial sin. And a desire not to hurt our Lord in any way with our negligences and weaknesses.

St. Augustine says Christ wept. To teach men to weep.

St. Josemaria in The Way says Jesus is your friend THE friend with a human heart like yours, with loving eyes that wept for Lazarus. And he loves you as much as he loved Lazarus.

We are reminded of the human heart of Christ - like us in all things but sin.

St. Josemaria liked to mention how Christ loves little human details of affection. And taught us to practice those little details of affection with Jesus.

With our little visits to the blessed sacrament. With our aspirations. With our presence of God. With offering him the little things of each day. First thought every moment. The last thought at night when we go to bed.

But there were some who remarked, “He opened the eyes of the blind man. Could he not have prevented this man's death?”

And so, there is the interplay all the time of the great divine things that are happening and also, the human outlook of the people that are there, who don't quite see that God permits certain things to happen - so as to bring good from them. The providence of God is always at work.

Sighing again Jesus reached the tomb - sighing the lack of faith, the lack of understanding.

It was a cave with a stone to close the opening.

Jesus said take the stone away. Martha the dead man's sister said to him, “Lord, by now he will smell. This is the fourth day since he died.

There is the interplay again of the great miracle, an outstanding miracle that our Lord is about to perform. And the people there have no idea of what is about to happen.

Jesus replied, “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”

All the time there is this emphasis on growth in faith which contrasts to the lack of faith of the people present and also of the Pharisees.

So they took the stone away.

They did the little thing that our Lord asked them to do. Often our Lord may ask us for little things as a pathway to the great thing that he wants to achieve in and through our cooperation, our obedience, our correspondence.

Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I myself knew that you hear me always. But I speak for the sake of all these who are standing around me. So that they may believe that it was you who sent me.”

Our Lord starts his prayer with that key word father. He is speaking with unique and indescribable intensity. I thank you father. for giving me this opportunity to help these people. grow in their faith. And through his sacred humanity. Christ is expressing himself as the son of God, metaphysical in his being - not an adopted son like the rest of men.

When the gospels let us see our Lord praying, they always show him beginning with that invocation father, which reflects his singular trust and love.

“Father if it is possible, let this chalice pass from me. “

So, these sentiments should also find a place in our prayer.

When Lazarus is brought back to life the faith of the people is increased.

We are told that that many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.

When he had said this, we're told he cried with a loud voice: “Lazarus! Come out!”

The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with strips of material and a cloth over his face. Jesus said to them unbind him, let him go free.

Jesus calls Lazarus by name. Although he is really dead, he has not lost his personal identity. Dead people continue to exist. But they have a different mode of existence because they have changed from mortal life to a life eternal.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, we're told that God is not a God of the dead but of the living, for to him all are alive.

So, this passage can also be applied to the spiritual resurrection of the soul who has sinned and recovered grace. St. Paul says God wants all of us to be saved. Therefore, we should never lose heart. We should always desire and hope to reach that goal.

So, St. Josemaria says in The Way - never despair. Lazarus was dead and decaying.

“By now he will smell this is the fourth day,” says Martha to Jesus.

If you hear God's inspiration and follow it - “Lazarus, come out!” You will return to life.

And so, the dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with strips of material and a cloth over his face. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him and let him go free.”

So, St. Augustine sees in the resurrection of Lazarus. a symbol of the sacrament of penance. He says, in the same way as Lazarus comes out comes out of the tomb, whenever you confess you come forth, meaning you come from what is hidden to be made manifest.

As the dead man came out still bound, we go to confession, still guilty. In order for his sins to be loosed, Our Lord said “Unbind him and let him go.” What you loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven.

In Rome in the catechisms and the catacombs rather, there are 150 representations of the raising of Lazarus, symbolizing the gift of grace which comes through the priest, who in effect repeats the words to the sinner: Lazarus come out.

And the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting.

“Here is this man working all these signs,” they said. “And what action are we taking? If we let him go in this way everybody will believe in him. And the Romans will come and suppress the holy place and our nation.”

One of them, Caiphas, the high priest that year said, “You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all. You fail to see that it is to your advantage. That one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation should perish.”

A long time before Simeon had predicted, that our Lord would be a sign of contradiction.

Some believe in him and some denounce him to his enemies, confirming what is said in the parable of the rich man,

Neither would they be convinced. Even if someone should rise from the dead.

And so, there is this great interplay between faith and lack of faith. The plot is brewing which will come to a point in the latter part of Holy Week.

And so, the message from Lazarus can be a message of faith, of hope, of optimism. St. Josemaria in the Forge says Lazarus rose because he heard the voice of God and immediately wanted to get out of the situation, he was in. If he hadn't wanted to move. He would just have died again.

A sincere resolution. To have faith in God always. To hope in God always. To love God always. He never abandons us even if we're rotting away as Lazarus was.

Lazarus could have chosen not to hear or to heed the voice of Jesus. He could have turned over and said no I'm okay. I just want to stay here. I don't want to change. I don't want to go back to what I was before. If he hadn't wanted to move, he would just have died again.

There is a message there for us that we have to want to move. To want to be better. To want to improve. To have that desire which ultimately is contrition. Contrition is a desire to be better.

And that desire leads us to go back to the sacrament of confession. To seek the grace that we know we need to be better and to improve. To be more Christ-like. To be with Mary beside the cross. To be with St John.

And so, we could say to Our Lady Mother of Divine Grace. Help us to use well these special days of spiritual treasures so that we might grow in our desires to be closer to your son on the cross.

I thank you my God for the good resolutions, affections and inspirations that you have communicated to me during this meditation. I ask your help to put them into practice.

My Immaculate Mother, St Joseph my Father and Lord. My Guardian Angel intercede for me. Amen.

GD