5th Sunday of Lent

5 ^th Sunday of Lent
 
This is Jesus’ piece de resistance. (Sorry, can’t find the accent to put over the e. You purists, forgive?) This is his crowning moment. The story is sad to begin with. Lazarus His friend is dying and then he dies. Mary and Martha are broken hearted. We have all been there. In the face of impending death we storm Heaven with our prayers. God, please save them from death. We don’t want it. We live by a funny logic. We don’t want anyone we love to die. The people we hate, we are happy to let them go. But the people we love, they have to live forever. In their desperation they send a message to Jesus knowing that with His divine intervention He might come and save Lazarus. This smacks a bit of nepotism. I know someone who knows someone. I can arrange for you to get the job because I can put in a word for you. That is actually not playing fair. I resent that the chance was taken from me because you cheated. Not everyone was so fortunate as to know Jesus personally. But anyway. The messenger arrives with the message and naturally everyone wants to get going so that they can arrive in time and save the day. Jesus hesitates. That seems so uncharacteristic. What we discover is that Jesus deliberately hesitates. He wants to make absolutely certain that Lazarus is dead before He sets out. Let it become abundantly clear that Lazarus died. Therefore, when Jesus stands before the tomb to tell Lazarus come forth, everyone will see what this is. Especially the Pharisees. They have contradicted every way that they could. They have twisted and turned the truth. Now let them see it all in full splendor. Let them see it with their own eyes. Mary and Martha are none too pleased to see Jesus.  Would you blame them? If I knew Jesus and He let me down like this, I might want a word with Him. Friends don’t do that to friends. Don’t let me down. Don’t use me as a pawn in your game of Divinity. The miracle scene is very dramatic. I think I would prefer to hide behind the wall if you don’t mind. I don’t know how I would feel to shake hands with a dead man come back to life. Bit spooky. Mary and Martha don’t care. All they see is the miracle. All the Pharisees see is something they can use as evidence against Jesus. I am sure they will come up with something. He broke the Sabbath. He offended the Law of Moses. One of those will crucify him. I find when I pray for people that I ask the Lord Jesus to give them their own personal miracle. I don’t suppose all miracles are on the scale of Lazarus. I suspect many miracles are small tiny things. But we know what they mean if nobody else knows. That becomes something between me and Jesus. That becomes our business. Contented…
With love, Fr. Pat