THERE ARE THREE HOMILY NOTES HERE; SCROLL DOWN AND BE BLESSED WITH INSPIRED REFLECTIONS FROM OUR PRIESTS.
Ezekiel 37:12-14; Rom 8:8-11; John 11:1-45
Rev. Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
Jesus raised Lazarus to life: Lessons
The raising of Lazarus is one of the three stories of persons that Jesus raised from the dead. As we move towards Easter – Jesus’ resurrection, the Church provides us with the gospel of Christ’s power over death; a sign of what the resurrection entails. The raising of Lazarus from the dead is only a sign of the resurrection; not the resurrection itself. Jairus’ daughter; the son of the widow of Nain, Tabitha or Dorcas who were raised form the dead all died eventually. Only in the case of Jesus we had the resurrection, and so Paul says in the second reading of today “ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom.8:11). Paul confirms this again when he says “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain [useless, amounting to nothing], and your faith is also vain [imaginary, unfounded, devoid of value and benefit—not based on truth] (AMP.1Cor. 15:14). So, in Christ is the absolute definition of resurrection. Lazarus and others who were raised from the dead only provide us with a foretaste of the resurrection. This does not mean a limitation of Christ’s power over death; rather it implies that Christ power over death; prevents death; raises the dead and equally gives eternal life to the dead. More so, there are great lessons from this story:
- God is our help: Lazarus’ name in Hebrew means “God has helped.” By this name it was obvious that the life of Lazarus has been a life of Divine aid. Like him; all of us have been a product of God’s help. The Bible says “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from where comes my help. My help shall come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 121:1-2). Do not worry when things do not go your way; like Martha and Mary; go to Jesus. They went to Jesus and they got the best result. God is our help; even in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man; it was obvious that the man failed to help Lazarus but God helped him and gave him eternal life. God’s help is amazing and always miraculous.
- Jesus is never late: When Martha and Mary called on Jesus at their brother’s death the Bible says Jesus spent four more days fulfilling his mission. Jesus loved this family and often stayed with them. We might expect as Lazarus’ family did, that Jesus would come running to help. Some of us feel this way about our priest too; especially when there is an emergency. But from the narrative we are challenged with the truth that God’s timing is not our timing. Man’s delay might result to denial; but God’s delay is not denial. His name is Emmanuel God with us; Jesus is never far away whatever you are passing through; Christ is never late; he is always with us and he does not EXIT. God’s time is the best. When it was time for Jesus to visit them the disciples reminded him of the dangers of going to Judea but all the same Jesus held on to Judea. Beloved, we can’t compel God’s time to come neither can we stop it.
- Things happen for faith to manifest: “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”(John 11:14). Similarly, this same point was expressed last Sunday in the Gospel about the man born blind. Beloved; God wants to raise believers and your story can be a divine arrangement in our days. Do not be discouraged about your situation, ask God for help and stay with him until he reveal his wonders. This is a great reminder that nothing is impossible for God.
- Your sickness will not end in death: The sisters sent a message to Jesus. “Lord,” they told Him, “the one You love is sick.” When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory. God’s Son will receive glory because of it.” Both sisters cried out to Jesus, “If only You had been here!” This was their cry of great sadness. We have all gone through difficult times when we felt like death has come but suddenly we were restored. Hezekiah thought the end had come; yet years were added. Those at the wedding feast thought wine had finished yet Jesus gave them the best wine. You may think you can’t make it because of laboratory postulations don’t worry it will not end in death. Again, death here means defeat; it means you will not be defeated; and even though it is the Lord will that it happens that way; still it is not defeat, “for the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace.” (Wis 3:1-3).
- Jesus is compassionate: Today’s narrative tells us the degree of Christ’s compassion. The Bible says; “Jesus wept” (John11:35). He was overwhelmed with compassion for Mary and Martha; Obi wept recently in one of his sessions; because he was overwhelmed with compassion. If you don’t feel it; you can’t help it (Mark 1:41). And so, when Jesus came to them, he said “Where have you put him?” “Come and see, Lord,” they replied (John 11:32-34). It is truly painful to lose a loved one; it is sad when a young parent had to bear the burdens of the family because of the loss of a spouse. What is that trial that you are passing through? “Jesus knows all about our troubles, he will guide till the day is dawn; there is not a friend like the lowly Jesus…” Matt.28:20 says; “… I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
- Libration from bondage: Jesus called Lazarus forth; he calls you forth too from that captivity; vices; corruption; pride and arrogance. He says “my son come forth”. Again, he says “Unbind him and let him go free”. Anything binding you limits you. His legs, hands, and face were bounded. Whatever binds our legs limits our progress; whatever binds our hands limits our power; and whatever binds our faces hides our beauty, glory and destiny. May God of libration visit us and set us free from spiritual, emotional and physical captivity. Like the dry bones in the first reading, Jesus gives us life again. Like the Israelites he restores us back to our homeland.
- Human wishes: In the narrative “Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. This statement has two basic implications: The wish not to die. No one wants to die; even those dying; if they could they would opt out. We can’t escape. This is not to say we should give in to carelessness and risk our lives; rather it is an opportunity to examine ourselves and reprioritize our earthly life in a way that it will have eternal relevance. The second implication is that; we often think that our beloved ones die because God was absent. So, Martha said: “if you were here my brother would not have died.” Some people believe that because God was absent evil happened. I read a book titled “Where is God when Bad things Happen?” the author simply shows that God is where He is when good and bad things happen. Right from the days of the Patriarchs God has never stopped being Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. Therefore, let us prepare for a holy death so that the D-Day whenever it comes will not be a shock to us. Lent is a special season for preparation. How prepared are you?
- The grave is not our final destination: The grave is not the final destination of a believer; Ezekiel says “I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people” (Eze.37:12). Believers will not end in the grave; the cemetery is not even the place of our final rest; Jesus says “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3). Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
LET US PRAY
By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, you Son handed himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Evaristus Okeke
Do I really want to make Heaven?
I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people” (Eze.37:12)
Today, the readings invite us to reflect on Jesus: the resurrection and the life. It is Jesus who gives himself this identity and in the readings of today, we are enabled to understand what this description means and implies. In the first reading from the prophecy of Ezekiel, the Lord says that He will open the graves of His people and bring them into the land of Israel. This means that though the people of God will experience the grave, it will not be the end of the road. Therefore, we dare not give up on God even when the worse we dreaded happens to us. When our senses suggest to us that it is all over, God can still do something. In fact, when God acts at such a time, it becomes clear that only the hand of God has done it. In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that Jesus’ resurrection power can strengthen our mortal bodies so that we do not live by the sinful dictates of the flesh. With the power of Christ at work in us, we can overcome the sins of the flesh. Now, the resurrection power is assured and available, but are we going to plug ourselves on to it?
The gospel event is so dramatic. It began by telling us that Jesus was a friend to Lazarus, Mary and Martha. We also discover that these friends of Jesus knew and believed in the power of Jesus (to the extent that they understood it). So, when Lazarus was sick, they sent message to him, not just to come visit the sick, but to use his healing power on his own friend. This should not be too difficult for Jesus to do. He has been doing it for strangers, how much more someone he loves. This emergency call got to Jesus, but he decided to delay. When Lazarus died, message was not sent to Jesus. This could be because it was already late for Jesus to do what they expected of him. The much they knew about Jesus was that he could heal the sick. But now that the sick had died, there was no need of Jesus. But then, notice that even without being told, Jesus knew that Lazarus had died and it was at that time that he decided to go to Judea.
It was clear that this was the hour of Jesus. When it was not his hour, message came to him but he delayed; now that it was his hour, nothing could stop Jesus from going to the house of his friends. The disciples tried to remind him of the danger of going to Judea, but he insisted. To tell you how risky the journey was, Thomas, called the Twin, said to the other disciples: let us also go, that we may die with him. Know this: *if it is not yet God’s time, you cannot force it; and when it is God’s time, you cannot stop it.* God’s time is the best!
When Jesus got close to the house, Martha went out to meet him. The disposition of Martha towards Jesus teaches us how to mourn. First, Martha expressed some form of disappointment at Jesus’ delay when she said: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. At one time or the other, we too may have had to expresses such disappointment when the worse we tried to avert still happened. The temptation sometimes is to stop believing in God or pick up quarrel with the Church or the Priest whom we judge did not give us their best at our worse moments. Martha did not pick up quarrel with Jesus; in fact she expressed strong faith in Jesus when she said: I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you… I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God…” Beloved, it is this attitude of Martha that the Lord expects of us even when we “mourn”. The Lord does not judge us for grieving when we are hurt but He wants us to believe that He did not scam us; he loves us still.
One lie we can tell ourselves because of the situation we face is that God does not care about us. The compassion of Christ was clearly manifested when he wept over the death of Lazarus. He knew he could do something; he actually came to do something; yet he was moved to weep. Child of God, do you think that you are weeping alone? The Lord weeps with you. But when you turn your back against Him, out of disappointment, you cause him to weep more. Jesus raised Lazarus back to life, not in a mechanical way, but out of true empathy. When the Lord weeps with us, he consoles us for the years/months/days that we have been weeping by “taking away the stone”.
At this end of this miracle, we are told that many of the Jews who had come to condole with Mary and Martha, saw what had happened and believed in Jesus. The faith of Mary and Martha (and Lazarus) too were strengthen because they never expected the miracle. It became easier to understand Jesus when he said: I am the resurrection and the life. But this understanding was not yet perfect. The raising of Lazarus back to life was not a perfect demonstration of Jesus’ power of death. There is something more we must learn.
Notice that Jesus did not go about henceforth preventing people from dying or raising up those who have died. Why did He use this power only for Lazarus? Is this resurrection power only for a privileged few? Is there anything about Jesus that is not sufficient enough for all who believe in Him? Secondly, Lazarus is not alive till this day. We can rightly imagine that Lazarus later died, was buried and was not brought back to life. Does it now suggest that Jesus’ power of death has an expiring date? Beloved, the resurrection of Lazarus was only a foretaste. *Jesus’ power over death is not in preventing us from dying but in his ability to bring us to heaven even after we have experienced physical death.* So, in John 14:2, Jesus tells us: In my Father’s house, there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” So, what was prefigured in Lazarus, can be definitively given to each one of us; all of us can go to heaven.
So beloved, Jesus will answer many of our prayer requests but the greatest request He wants to answer is to help us make heaven. He is able to do this because He is the resurrection and the life. So, let us consciously pray to make heaven. Let us also consciously live well so that we can make heaven. St. Paul tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Do you really want to make heaven? *God Bless You!
Fr. Paul Oredipe
Jesus: our Resurrection and Life –
Change is still possible, now
Today we hear about Martha and Mary and their sorrow over the death of Lazarus, their brother. The death of Lazarus leaves a large absence in the lives of those who love him. We hear their reproach to Jesus for not being present: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would never have died.” In the longer version of the gospel, both Martha and Mary were reported to have said this to Jesus upon his arrival at Bethany, even after staying on where he was for two more days on hearing that Lazarus was sick. This echoes the anger, bitterness and resentment which many of us feel against others, perhaps even against God, on the occasion of an untimely death.
God’s own ways are not ours. When certain things happen to us individually or as a family or community which we do not understand or expect, we can only turn and leave that very thing in the hands of God. Abandon, surrender and commit it into His hands, not out of frustration or anger, but out of simple child-like faith and trust that He knows more and is able to save. That was the case with the death of Lazarus. Why did Jesus delay? Why did He not come immediately to prevent Lazarus from dying? Why did He allow him to die before coming to raise him? These are the ways and thoughts of men, but the way of God is different.
In the case of Martha and Mary, they were not left alone in their grief and sorrow. In spite of the seemingly long delay, Jesus came, He listened to them and indeed (as we are told in the passage) “he was troubled in spirit, moved by the deepest emotions … he began to weep.” (“With Us on the Journey”) In the other editions, we find the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” This sums up one of God’s greatest mysteries: Christ indeed shared our sorrows so closely that they seem to cause Him to suffer as much, if not more, than they do us. The tears of Jesus now flow for us and for all who suffer everywhere, even here today.
Newman remarks that Jesus wept “from spontaneous tenderness, from the gentleness and mercy, the encompassing loving-kindness and exuberant affection of the Son of God for his own work, the race of man. Their tears touched him at once, as their miseries had brought him down from heaven. His ear was open to them, and the sound of weeping went at once to his heart.” This is the heart of love, compassion and affection for who we are.
The crying of Jesus is one of the most moving scenes and touching events in the gospels. And the reason is simply because Jesus shares His humanity with us. He understands what it is like to be human. And just knowing this gives us hope.
However, that was not all. Jesus went further. After weeping for Lazarus, Jesus brought joy and life. He gave an assurance, a sense and certainty of hope: “Your brother will rise again” and He threw a challenge: “I am the resurrection and the life … Do you believe this?” In the answer of Martha we see a projection, a postponement. “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Like Martha, we sometimes push God’s power so far into the future [end of time] that we cannot acknowledge his power at work in us here and now.
The resurrection is not a mere event ‘at the end of time’. Jesus is the resurrection and he who believes in Him is already risen as a new creation, now – not only in the next life but also in this life, here and now. There is no need to wait for the end of time for life. Jesus asks us to believe in something new – a Resurrection that is present now – “I am the Resurrection and the life”. Passing from death to life is an act of faith. He who believes in Jesus will ‘put on the new man’ and lead a new life, a life of hope and love. That is the good news; light after darkness, joy after sorrow, life after death.
By letting Lazarus die, Jesus is telling us that He has not come to prevent physical death. His task is not to break up the natural course and path of the life of man. This life has an end, it cannot last forever. Jesus has not come to make this life eternal, but to give us another life that will have no end. “I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John. 10:10) Jesus did not come to spare us from suffering, but to change totally this sufferings and this death through His Resurrection.
In spite of Martha’s projection and slow doubt, Jesus proceeded to raise Lazarus immediately, to show that His words have an imminent significance and immediate meaning. Even as He went on to do this, Jesus met with an objection, another hesitation. “Lord, it has been four days now; surely there will be a stench [smell]!” I am not sure if I will not say and even do much more.
The Jewish rabbis believed and taught that the soul hovered near the body for three days, and so with Lazarus having been four days in the tomb no one held any hope of resuscitation, less of resurrection. In spite of this, here again, Jesus shows some sympathy, He uplifts their faith once more. “Did I not assure you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” The raising of Lazarus is a sign of Jesus’ victory over death, and a sign of hope for all of us. Lazarus is a symbol of agonizing and dying humanity.
A priest once described this event as ‘prophecy in action’. In Lazarus, therefore, the symbol of the prophecy becomes a physical reality. This actual raising of Lazarus from the dead is a sign, an irrefutable demonstration that God is active in human lives and history, and that His action has as its end the raising of man from spiritual death to eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are looking forward to the feast of the Resurrection (Easter), and so Jesus prepares us for this by showing that this is not something that is to affect Him alone, but is a call and offer to us all. It points out that the life we are searching for is not an extension of physical life but a new, different kind of life, eternal life, life with God. For real death is not physical death but spiritual death which is the destruction of the loving purpose God made us for and the denial of the covenantal relationship with God.
To those who have no faith, life is just a process from birth to dust and death comes along as the ultimate humiliation to make a mockery of their living, their hopes, plans and dreams. Lazarus was such a powerful witness to Jesus’ life-giving power that the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him (John 12:10). Commenting on this, St Augustine wryly wrote that if they had killed Lazarus, Jesus would have simply raised him again. (Homilies on John, 50.14)!
Today we are asked and confronted with the same question Jesus addressed to Martha: “Do you believe this?” Do I believe this?
In the First Reading, God promises his people through the prophet Ezekiel that He will deliver them from oppression and restore them to freedom. The image of the grave was used. God will open their graves and raise them from the graves. Dead bones shall rise. That was the truth, the real fact. This is still the truth with us, even here in Nigeria. Dead bones of our country shall rise. Nigeria can and will surely be restored back to health and life. Do we believe this? God is assuring us and asking us for real faith and confidence in His power to save and deliver our land. If only we believe and abandon our lives to Him.
There is a lot of talk these days, especially in the academic circle, about the resurrection. Such talks are characterised by certain disturbing problems and doubts. But if we look at it very closely we see that resurrection is not so much a theoretical, theological problem as it is a religious experience. It means the transforming presence of Jesus within us. It is about the person of Jesus alive right now in our very midst and ready to change our lives at this moment.
Many people today live in fear that nothing could ever change. They fear change, they cannot accept it. But Christ coming forth from the tomb, prefigured in the raising of Lazarus, has transformed everything. We are saved from hopelessness and despair, even of evil we see all around us. “I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, though he should die, will come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in me will never die.”
To share in this we need to have the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead as St. Paul emphasized in the Second Reading. Our interest must be renewed and converted. This gives us cause for hope and reason for joy. Now we know that there is an end to darkness, to pain, to sickness and sorrow, to anguish of spirit, to burdens and guilt, and fearful memories.
While the iron law of nature dictates that we must all die and go to the grave, the life we share with God is not something which begins after death. It is a life we have through Baptism and which God continues to nourish in us through His word, His body and His blood.
As we gradually come to the end of this grace-filled season of Lent, we can search and find out how we have grown in this life. Just as Jesus called loudly to Lazarus: “.., come out!”, we are also called upon to come out, into the light of God’s truth and love. Jesus calls us away from all that leads to death, namely, sin. We know from experience that we do not have to be dead physically to be in need of being raised up. Death can take place even while we live. We can be dead in the midst of life. Without Christ, we are dead. Eternal life is not a future event, it is here and now.
Part of the trouble may come from being caught up in our own selfish ways and so enticed by passing pleasures that we refuse to come out of our tombs and be free. We hold on to selfishness, cling to past grudges and stand on our dignity because pride will not permit us to make up past differences. As a result, the life we receive at Baptism weakens and we become dead to the voice of Christ calling us to Himself and wanting to make His home in us. Who says that we cannot overcome that old and bad habit now, even this season of Lent, 2020. Who are you to doubt the power of God which is utterly certain?
The darkness of the tomb is not too dark for Jesus; the death of Lazarus does not mean that it is too late for Jesus to be His life. It is never too late for God to cure and heal you and me. Even when you think you are beyond repair, when people write you off, when you already give up on yourself. God who created you can recreate you. Just be like clay in His hands and see how He will remould you and refashion you. It will only surprise you when He finishes with you. As Thoreau says: “Fear not that your life will come to an end; rather fear that it may never have begun.” The tragedy is when we cannot begin again, when we cannot rise up, to live again.
The great miracle is that while he is dead Lazarus hears the word of Jesus and obeys it. Hearing the voice of the Son of God, Lazarus lives again. The great prophetic word of Jesus is seen to happen: “I tell you most solemnly, the hour will come – in fact it is here already – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live.” (5:25) In our own dying and dead situation as individuals and a nation, do we still leave our ears, minds and eyes open to hear the voice of God in the events, in the people and situations around us?
The story of Lazarus tells us that dying to sin, we are born to eternal life. These days of Lent are about joining ourselves to the passion and death of Christ by deepening our response to His way of life; prayer, penance, acts of charity and personal conversion are the soil in which this life grows. Joining with Christ in his death is a sure guarantee of sharing in his resurrection.
Whatever is our present situation and condition, each of us still need to answer that question: “I am the resurrection and the life … Do you believe this?” Do we believe this? Do I believe this?
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
