Today’s gospel is about the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It is one of the most dramatic, powerful and touching stories in the Scripture. It is about the power of life over death. We often read today’s gospel at a funeral Mass or funeral service. Because it strengthens our faith in the resurrection (our belief that Jesus has the power of life over death) . And the same time it helps us to see “Death” as temporary and Life as Eternal. But we are in Lenten
season, today is the last Sunday before Holy Week.
So, why does the Church give us this gospel about the raising of Lazarus? This is the question that came to me as I was preparing the preaching. I think it is an important question for all of us. Why we read this gospel in Lent? I think Lent is time we have to hear the voice of Jesus calling us out of the tomb we have put ourselves in. Lent is time to listen to Jesus who is saying to everyone, come into life, come out of the tomb. We don’t belong in darkness. When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, He called the man who has been dead for four days, and says: Lazarus, come out. And …. Jesus is addressing the same words to all of us. It is a call He has offered to us from the first day of Lent…..Remember you are dust, we were told.
Turn back to the gospel. Jesus was saying to us: My friend, come out. Come out from your personal tomb. Come out from sin. Leave what is familiar, and dark, and dead. Come out. And I will restore you to life. The tears that Christ shed for Lazarus are ones He sheds for all of us who are buried in caves of human weakness and sin. And so He calls to us: Come out! Have we heard Him? Have you heard Him? Have we answered Him? When Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus said: Untie him and let him go. Like Lazarus, we stand before God, bandaged, wounded, tied with our own personal burial cloths. We are prisoners, bound by brokenness.
“There are so many dark areas in our private lives. We often bind ourselves with chains of addiction to drugs, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred and anger, and we bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Sometimes we are buried in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, fear of corona virus, resentment, hatred, and guilt. Jesus asks us today to seek his help (come out ). But He wants us to be free. He wants us to live again. To walk again in the Light. Come out, He says. Let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of the Holy Spirit into our private lives and liberate us from our tombs. “Jesus calls each of us by name to come out of our graves and to help others to do the same.
This is good news for all of us: “Lazarus, come out!” This can be the beginning of a new life.
