In The Wake Of Our Morning
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“I am the Resurrection, and I am Life: those who believe in me
will live, even if they die; and those who are alive and believe in me will never die.
John 11:15
On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, we hear the familiar story of the Raising of Lazarus. Fr. James Martin calls it “a tale about love, illness, death, grieving, honesty, openness, uncertainty, and, ultimately, new life.” Fr. John Dear suggests that Lazarus represents the whole human family. The story is an invitation to “come forth”—to step away from whatever keeps us from authentic change.
Who are we in this story today? Are we Lazarus, resting in comfort, yet being called into the unknown? Are we Mary, waiting at home, forlorn and angry, or in confident hope? Are we Martha, afraid of the “stench” if the stone is rolled away, yet desiring a different outcome?
Fr. James Martin invites us to ask: What keeps us from hearing God’s voice—in our lives and in our communities? Is it fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of not mattering, or fear of choosing wrongly? What might we need to leave behind to hear God calling us into new life? How might we open the tombs of our lives and trust that we are beloved, called by God to put belief into action?
Let Us Pray
God of Peace, you invite us to “come forth” out of whatever binds us and keeps us from hearing your voice. Help us to trust that we are indeed your beloved. May our belief in you go beyond words and creeds. Give us the courage to surrender to the future you dream of for us, which is always a future transformed through hope.
Reflection Questions / Practices
- Who do you most relate to in the story of the Raising of Lazarus? Is it Lazarus, Martha, or Mary? Is it the disciples? Is it the crowd observing? Why are you feeling this connection today?
- Sit quietly and reflect on what it means to be the “beloved of God.” If possible, take a walk or sit where you can see the beloved of God in nature. How do you feel? What do you hope for?
- As the beloved of God, how do you feel called at this time?
Call Out Quote
Lazarus Blessing
The secret
of this blessing
is that it is written
on the back
of what binds you.
To read
this blessing,
you must take hold
of the end
of what
confines you,
must begin to tug
at the edge
of what wraps
you round.
It may take long
and long
for its length
to fall away,
for the words
of this blessing
to unwind
in folds
about your feet.
By then
you will no longer
need them.
By then this blessing
will have pressed itself
into your waking flesh,
will have passed
into your bones,
will have traveled
every vein
until it comes to rest
inside the chambers
of your heart
that beats to
the rhythm
of benediction
and the cadence
of release.
—Jan Richardson, from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons
https://paintedprayerbook.com/2017/03/31/lent-5-the-lazarus-blessing/