“With the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption.” (Psalm 30)
On this journey through Lent we have reflected on various contrasts: the Temptation of Christ in the desert, (1st Sunday) the Transfiguration of Christ (2nd Sunday), the “woman at the well” (3rd Sunday), healing of the blind man (4th Sunday).
In today’s gospel we have the summary of the ‘Raising of Lazarus from the tomb’. He was one of Jesus Christ’s closest friends.
This story of Lazarus carries us through a surprising dialogue between Jesus and Martha ;( Lazarus’ sister) Jesus slowly leads Martha to profess her faith in Him: “do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who came into this world.” Jesus led Martha, – and through her each one of us, to recognize and confess that He is, here and now, the Life that comes into the world, in us, at the center of our own death,– the Life that no thing, no death, not even natural death can destroy. That is the very summit of this Gospel.
It has taken Martha’s act of faith, of perfect faith, for Jesus to resurrect Lazarus, so that we also might believe. The gift that Jesus gives us of a life that does not pass, the gift of His life, demands only one unique answer: a total adhesion to our faith!
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead for the greater glory of God. Our caring for one another is a manifestation of God’s caring love. Even as we practice “social distancing “during this time of COVID-19 pandemic in order to combat this new and confusing illness, people have been moved to greater compassion toward others and act accordingly.
This crisis can ultimately result in a conversion and changes of how we live, how we relate to God, of how we relate to one another. There is certainly much evidence of people adapting to a different way of being and doing for a better future for all!