26 Mar SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2023

Let’s share the stage from Act 1 with Jesus, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They are the four main characters, and each one is having thoughts. The message delivered to Jesus tells us that over time, they’ve come to love each other. Over time they’ve gotten close.

Think about persons not related to you with whom you’ve grown close. You, too, have known each other for years and repeatedly been in each other’s company. You know many of the same people. Your siblings know their siblings, and you know where they live ‘cause you’ve been to their home.

Significant life events have been shared. Perhaps you graduated or worked together, attended some of the same weddings or funerals, got married or had kids around the same time. If you became close friends, the amount of time you were in contact grew and your conversations became more intimate. Eventually, you became part of each other’s family gatherings. Now, you share quite a few memories.

As the sisters sent word and anticipated delivery of their message, they expected a prompt if not immediate response. These days, there’s a similar message we send when prompt attention is desired. It reads something like, “Please give me a call as soon as possible.” If I send that to my kids or any of you, I’d at least expect to receive this reply, “Is everything alright?”

That’s exactly how Jesus managed to upset his close friends. The sisters told him everything wasn’t alright. Wasn’t that the same as saying, “Please come as soon as possible?” They’d already given the reason why.

What added to the sisters’ confusion and misunderstanding was Jesus knowing Lazarus wouldn’t remain dead, and his sisters not knowing. But, “C’mon Jesus, what were you thinking? Why would you torture them to suffer fear over losing their brother, make them go through the pain of watching him die and disappoint the great hope they had in you?”

The biggest disappointment any of us ever experience will be of the very same nature: that God could have done something to change the outcome, but didn’t, that God could’ve prevented a loved one from dying, but didn’t. And because God did not intervene, no reason will suffice.

Let’s look at the scene from another point of view: God’s. That there is love between them is true, without doubt on Jesus’ part. That Jesus undergoes great personal risk by returning to Judea is true. By being light himself, Jesus knows how to navigate dangerous territory.

Jesus knows the ultimate outcome, we don’t. He gives hints, but people misunderstand them, so he tries to explain things plainly. He encourages and offers clarification so those following will not be misled or falsely hope.

Jesus knows the ultimate outcome.

Martha’s communication with Jesus perfectly models our personal journey of faith and mimics the structure of our prayers. At first, we rely on the strength of our relationship to God to get God’s attention. As Martha said, it’s his love for us that’s most apparent. “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” This sentence addresses Jesus by title, acknowledges his love for both the one who is ill, persons who love them, and the sender of the message.

In the meantime, God sends many to console the sisters about their brother, or to console us, as the case may be. After the worst fear has been realized, Martha can’t wait to directly encounter the source of her disappointment. She feels entitled to preempt Jesus’ arrival. He’s already late. By now, she’s gained the right to phone him directly since her first text was not answered promptly.

Your loved one will rise again.

Again, Martha addresses Jesus by title, acknowledges his power to save and his direct connection to God, testaments to who Jesus is. Jesus then replies in what seems an obtuse manner. “Your loved one will rise again.”

Knowing she is in God’s presence, Martha chooses to submit and acknowledge what scripture says. She places her faith in resurrection on the last day rather than accuse God of insensitivity or failure to feel the pain of her loss.

What Jesus says next is very important. “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” His point is: Resurrection is not only offered to the dead, but all whom Jesus loves: Lazarus, his sisters, the messenger, the crowd, everyone listening is asked, “Do you believe that I am the resurrection and life, not only that I have the power to save, but I have the desire? Because I am he who loves you all. This is why I arrived into the world as God’s Son, his anointed, not too late, but right on time.

Martha runs to grab her sister, Mary, and prepares her to learn something new. The crowd follows them both, thinking one thing, while Jesus knows exactly what’s about to happen. The stage is now full.

Mary kneels at his feet. Jesus feels the full weight of her grief and disappointment. He hears weeping among the crowd. His spirit is disturbed, moved, agitated like a horse snorting displeasure. His spirit addresses him vehemently.

According to New English Translation notes, “The verb is similar to one used in John 14:1 when Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” And John 14:27b when he tells his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” (NET) The same disturbance of spirit describes the reaction of the disciples to the imminent death of Jesus and in John 13:21 the verb describes how Jesus reacted to the thought of being betrayed by Judas, into whose heart Satan had entered.”

Jesus responds to overwhelming emotion, which is not just a mental state marked by feelings or mood, but a neurophysiological change brought on through relationship with others. Neither Jesus nor we experience emotion in a vacuum, but by virtue of inter-relatedness. Neither Jesus nor we live or die alone. We’re always connected to everyone, past and present, and to Jesus as God who created us.

Often when a person grows really ill and then recovers, they have no memory of it. Lazarus had his own experience of this event, but it wasn’t the same as those who witnessed his decline and death, who worried and prayed, grieved his loss and buried him. Jesus knew that. He asked where Lazarus had been laid.

What really disturbed Jesus and was of greatest concern was the curse of death itself. It was never his intention for creation to die or for anything to suffer. Creation began as paradise and will one day be redeemed to perfection.

While it seems sad that human beings are the only animals aware of their mortality, who regularly project fear into the future, and who surrender to death only when they see no better alternative, it’s really a blessing.

Together, in community, we are like the crowd present at the grave of Lazarus. We vary in our experience of suffering and death. We vacillate between belief that God identifies fully with us, while also pondering why God doesn’t prevent bad things from happening. We continue to worry how badly the stench of imperfection will linger in the nose of everyone present once the stone gets rolled away and the extent of decay is revealed?

Jesus says, “Did not I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” All that Jesus did and does is for the sake of the crowd so they may believe that God sent him. Because others came to be with and comfort those who were suffering, they were able to see what Jesus does and believe in him, too. That’s where redemption lies and resurrection happens.

Lazarus, like his sisters and members of the crowd that day, would, like us, die. And like us, Lazarus could not unbind himself. Once the stone was rolled away, he still had to come out of the cave. He still had to have his hands and feet loosened, his face unwrapped. That is Jesus’ command. For the glory of God to be revealed, Jesus instructs the living. He includes us in his plan to save and free people from death. He gives life and restores it so we may live forever changed.

Change may feel threatening, but it’s a chance to experience something new. Change involves seeing life events differently, trusting that our desired outcome is the same as God’s; only what God imagines is life eternal, not merely life extended.

This week I had numerous encounters with men and women of various capacities and circumstances. Some were young and strong with their whole lives ahead of them, beginning budding romances, struggling to navigate peer relationships, wondering what kind of future lay ahead.

Some were near the end of life, yet appeared strong in other ways. Over time, they had gained perspective. Life had not been easy, but was meaningful. They had endured, and that outcome produced gratitude.

That’s the difference between the beginning and end of life stories. When all is yet to be determined, we agonize over our worst fears. Once a few of those come true, we accept uncertainty as a given. What’s certain is change and without experiencing loss, there’s little chance we’ll ever change.

People often say teenage boys and girls are impulsive: one minute polite, the next, rude. Truth is, at the youth center this week, I was again reminded that all ages are susceptible to being human: wanting immediate results, to be treated special, to escape doing extra work, wanting attention, to be heard, trusted or respected.

It had been a pretty good day thus far. Kids complied with requests to sign in, seemed to enjoy the meal prepared, and accepted limitations being enforced. Only mild shenanigans occurred. Suddenly, a tremendous loud bang surprised and shook my last nerve. I spun around to see couches at the back lined with teens aware of what took place.

My instinct confronted them with the reality that I had had enough. I said, “Do we have to close the youth center and make everyone leave? What was that noise?” Subconsciously I was saying, “Someone better say what happened, or I’m out of here.”

To the culprit’s surprise, voices spoke up. In my head, I laughed while hearing myself say aloud, “I don’t want to hear another noise like that,” as if pleasing me really mattered to them. Regardless, they seemed to understand I couldn’t handle any further unexplained outbursts.

The rest of the afternoon went fine. We all realized how vulnerability compensates by trying to exert control, how gratitude can devolve to expectation, and how relationships are always being formed, broken, repaired, tried and tested. The only consistent constant source of love and understanding is God in Christ Jesus. Let us pray.

Lord, our hope is in you. We can only help but trust your timing and knowledge of all people and circumstances. You are always at work in and through us to achieve what is best for eternity. Continue to redeem and change us, for being made new always helps us grow. Challenge our way of being so joy and meaning are the sum total of life lived to your glory. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.