We need Martha’s faith amid the doubts and fears we might encounter in the face of tragedies, especially in the face of death
We all know about the miracle of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead.
Here, we hear the words of Jesus to Lazarus’ sister Martha, words that give us comfort and hope: I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Martha believed Jesus’ words.
A short time later, all were able to see the truth of Jesus’ words when, at His command, Lazarus (who had already been in the tomb for four days) came forth alive.
The truth of Jesus’ proclamation that He is the resurrection and the life would become even more apparent on Easter Sunday morning with His own resurrection, the final victory over evil and death.
The raising of Lazarus was a sign of Christ’s power over death.
He is “the life” who pulls down that wall that can seem so impenetrable to us: the wall of death. It shows us Christ’s lordship over death. Christ gives us a trustworthy hope of life beyond death.
We need Martha’s faith amid the doubts and fears we might encounter in the face of tragedies, especially in the face of death.
While the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus shows Jesus’ power over physical death, it also points to Jesus’ power over spiritual death.
Just as burial clothes bound Lazarus, sin binds human beings.
So the Lord, through His priests, unbinds sinners from the chains of sin, from spiritual death in the sacrament of Penance. We truly experience new life, a kind of second Baptism, through this sacrament of God’s mercy.
As Saint Augustine wrote in a homily on this Gospel: Everyone who sins, dies.
Every man fears the death of the flesh, few the death of the soul.
In regard to the death of the flesh, which without a doubt must someday come, all guard against its coming: that is the reason for their labors.
Man, destined to die, labors to avert his dying; and yet man, destined to live in eternity, does not labor to avoid sinning.
As Jesus entered the village, Mary and the mourners surrounded Him. Their grief weighed heavily on His heart.
And then, in the shortest verse in the entire Bible, we witness Jesus’s humanity: “Jesus wept.”
His tears flowed not only for Lazarus but for all humanity’s suffering.
He shed tears alongside those in sorrow. His tears weren’t for the eventual end of Lazarus, as Lazarus would be resurrected.
Rather, his tears stemmed from the grief of Mary and Martha.
This moment revealed Christ’s empathy, sympathy, tenderness, and kindness in action.
The approaching Holy Week serves as a poignant reminder of the central role of Christ’s resurrection in the Christian faith.
It is a time for believers to deepen their faith, reflecting on the profound implications of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.
Through prayer and contemplation, Christians seek to strengthen their relationship with God and renew their commitment to living as faithful disciples of Christ.
As a whole, the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is a powerful testament to His authority over both physical and spiritual death.
It offers comfort and hope to believers, affirming the promise of resurrection and eternal life in Christ.
As Christians, we are called to proclaim this truth with conviction, living as people of hope and bearing witness to the transformative power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives.
As Holy Week approaches, let us recommit ourselves to placing our complete trust and hope in Him who is the resurrection and the life.
This miraculous event foreshadowed Jesus’s own resurrection.
Despite the seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus demonstrated His divine authority over life and death.
Lazarus’s return to life was a signpost pointing to the ultimate victory—the empty tomb on Easter morning.
In raising Lazarus, Jesus proclaimed His supremacy over mortality, offering hope to all who believe.
The Gospel reading of Lazarus’s resurrection invites us to embrace faith, trust in the resurrection, and find solace in the One who conquered death.
We have heard the story of Lazarus many times.
In my current state of illness where death and resurrection have been real experiences, I have learned new things. In creative repetition, Lazarus comes alive and is raised again.
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