A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother asked him to go to the back porch and get the broom for her. The little boy said, “Mom, I don’t want to go out there, it’s dark.” Mom smiled and said “… you don’t have to be afraid of the dark, Jesus is out there; He’ll look after you and protect you.” The boy looked at his Mom intently & asked, “Are you sure He is out there?”
“Yes, I’m sure, He is everywhere & ready to help when you need Him.” The young boy went to the back door, opened it a tiny bit and said, “Jesus? If You are out there, would You please hand me the broom.” [Adopted from Naked, And You Clothed Me: Cycle A]
I can identify with the little guy, “I am afraid of needles,” it goes way back to a surgery I had in 4th grade. Each time I go to have blood work I asked God to put His arm there for me, He doesn’t but He suggested I look away from where the phlebotomist is drawing my blood and He would meet me there; It works.
Ezekiel said, “… I will open your graves and have you rise from them.” St. Paul teaches us that the Spirit of God dwells in us and Lent reminds us to review how we are nourishing that Spirit. In our Gospel, the Martha and Mary are highlighted [again]. Remember in Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better part. In Luke’s Gospel Martha served and Mary listened, BUT even it were reversed and Jesus would have said the same thing, Mary chose the better part because Mary offered everything she did to the Lord.
In today’s Gospel Jesus proclaims to Martha, “I am the resurrection & the life…. Then He asked Martha and He asks each of one us the fundamental question, “Do you believe this?” Martha answered, “Yes, Lord….” How do you answer?
Our Gospel tells us that Jesus wept, became perturbed [deeply troubled] & prayed. Jesus utters the Words “Untie him and let him go” they are among the most poignant and powerful Words in the Gospel. They describe what happens when we die - Jesus unwraps our sins and failures puts them on His Cross & then beckons us to enter the eternal kingdom - blessed and purified.
Lazarus’ burial cloths and wrappings point to Jesus’ burial cloths and wrappings, with this essential difference. Lazarus was resuscitated and would later die; Jesus Resurrected & His body transformed and glorified. Our bodies are subject to sickness, decay and death, BUT the indwelling of the Spirit points to life after death; to life eternal with God.
Fr. John Powell told a powerful story about his cynical student Tommy, who asked Fr. Powell if he would ever find God. Powell said, "No, I don't think you'll ever find Him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!" Several years later Tommy reconnected with Fr. Powell when he was dying of terminal cancer at age 24.
Tommy said the Turning Point for him came when he remembered Fr. Powell's telling him, "the essential sadness is to go through life without loving," That advice prompted Tom to tell his father, mother and brother that he loved them. After reconnecting with his family, Tommy told Fr. Powell, "Then, one day, I turned around and God was there. I stopped looking for Him."
Tommy passed away shortly after this realization, his story reminds us that life is fragile & just as Jesus loved Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Tommy and each one of us, so we are to love. Is there someone in your life you need to tell, “I love you” – you need to reconcile with, now is the time.
Jesus cried out “Lazarus, Come Out.” That cry is a reminder to us, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Lent is a time spend for us to Fast, Pray and Give Alms take a few minutes reflecting on your Lent is it bringing you closer to the Lord?
May God Be Praised.
