John 11:1-45
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6 after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” 11 After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” 13Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.”23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”29 And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there.32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
"Take away the stone." "Lazarus, come out!"
We have witnessed Jesus performing His miracles and signs: changing water into wine; healing people from many diseases; expelling evil spirits; walking on water; and bringing dead people back to life again.
These are five fields of action where Jesus manifested His almighty power of love and mercy, proving to His apostles and disciples that the Son of Man is the Son of God.
Three times Jesus brought dead people back to earthly life—
1) The daughter of the synagogue leader, who was still at her parents' house in Mark 5:22-24, 37-43. His message here is "Just keep faith."
2) The son of the widow in Nain, who was outside the house, on the way to the tomb in Luke 7:11-17. Here, the widow, whose past, present and future are burdened by despair in losing her loved ones and her support, retrieves hope and joy.
3) Lazarus at Bethany in John 11:1-45, where a young man has been buried in the tomb for four days. His body is already decomposing and he is brought back to earthly life. Jesus wept at the tomb. Was it only because he loved Lazarus and his sisters, or because He brings back to this life a person who is already enjoying eternal life?
St. Augustine of Hippo helps us reflect upon these three signs, using them as symbols of three kinds of sinners who still need Jesus' mercy today.
The first (the girl at her parents' house), represents those who are tempted by an evil spirit. The spirits persuade them that the evil they do is justified and it is for their benefit, even quoting some Biblical references. Yes, the evil ones know our Scriptures too! Listening and obeying the Holy Spirit, they can overcome the temptation without allowing the sin to be realized. They listen to the Lord, "taking them by his hand and saying to them, 'Get up!'" Mark 5:41.
The second (on the way to the tomb), represents those who have obeyed the evil spirit and committed sin. They have decided to walk the way to the tomb. We are not called to abandon them nor condemn them. Rather, relying on the Lord and offering them bridges of love and mercy, we can bring them back to life as the Lord did with the son of the widow, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Luke 7:14.
The third (already in the tomb), represents those who are sure of their righteousness yet remain bound by the sins they commit and are not willing to escape from them. They can't remove the stone that lies on their chests and tortures their consciences. But the Lord is still merciful and willing to offer them a new opportunity to retrieve true life and restore their human dignity.
Let us look inside ourselves with love and mercy, and think about the rocks laid upon our chests. Take action to remove them and refuse to remain in the tombs of our sins.
It is never too late to return from our sins and our selfish and deadly pride. Lent is the time to "get up" and come back to life.
May we encounter Jesus through this Sunday Gospel, listen to Him and return back to life with Him and for Him!