This past week has been what our
Orthodox brothers and sisters call “Lazarus Week. ” Lazarus’s story began earlier
in the week with his illness, which appeared to be sudden, and his equally
sudden death. By Tuesday night Lazarus was no more, and they buried him the
very next day, without their friend Jesus being there with them. Mary and
Martha were devastated, not only by the loss of their brother but also because
their beloved friend and mentor was not with them even though they had sent a
messenger to advise him of Lazarus’s illness and death. But Jesus never
appeared, so what were they to think?
The disciples noticed that Jesus was
dawdling somewhat. It didn’t seem to be like him to ignore the summons of
people from whom he had accepted hospitality on several occasions and who were
friends and followers. Mary had sat at his feet and listened as he taught while
Martha learned a sharp lesson that teaching and learning would last, a fancy
lunch wouldn’t. The disciples didn’t understand any more than Mary and Martha
did. It also seemed like Jesus had other things on his mind and he wasn’t
sharing.
Jesus did finally arrive in Bethany,
probably on Friday night or very early Saturday morning. Martha met him on the
road and scolded him for not being there when they needed him the most. Jesus
reminded her that he had many things to do. He alos needed to see Mary. Martha
went to the house and told Mary that Jesus was asking for her. I think at first
Mary was reluctant to go, probably not just grieving the loss of her brother
whom Jesus could have saved, but also feeling angry with Jesus for ignoring
them when they called.
Mary finally went out and faced Jesus.
She expressed how she felt, and Jesus soothed her and then went to the tomb.
There, for the second time recorded in the Gospels, Jesus wept. The question
comes, was he weeping because Lazarus was dead or was he weeping for what was
coming?
Jesus had the stone rolled away from the
doorway and called Lazarus forth from the tomb. Mary and Martha were
disconcerted, reminding Jesus that Lazarus had been dead for several days and
by now would be rather malodorous with decay as was usual for dead bodies.
Jesus paid them no mind. Lazarus obediently hobbled to the doorway of the tomb
still encased in his grave clothes. There were no signs of putrefaction, and so
people rushed to take the grave linens off him, all the while being more than
amazed at what they were seeing.
Mary and Martha, it is said, had faith,
but like a lot of us, sometimes that faith gets a bit shaky when tremendous
things happen that make us feel deprived or abandoned. Nonetheless, they had a good
reason for celebration that Lazarus was alive and home again with them.
Jesus was just one week away from death himself,
an end he had tried to warn his disciples of, but, like a lot of things, they simply
did not get the message Jesus intended for them to understand. He would have a
busy week ahead of him beginning on Sunday going into Jerusalem, but for
Saturday, he could rest, observe the Sabbath, and be with friends. I’m sure
they did a lot of talking that evening, and there were a lot of unanswered
questions. But it was the last Sabbath for Jesus, the final period of sustained
rest he would have before all the events of what we call Holy Week.
When we think of Lazarus Saturday, we
probably don’t think of Lazarus at all. We are busy buying Easter baskets and
eggs to dye, all kinds of candy (both chocolate and non-chocolate), getting
ready for a big Easter dinner, maybe at grandma’s house, and in some traditions
getting the ham ready to cook on Holy Saturday night so that it would be prepared
to eat on Sunday. At least that was the way it was done at our house when I was
growing up. I miss it.
We observe Palm Sunday in the church,
but it doesn’t seem to have the pull that Easter Sunday does. We have all heard
jokes about Christmas and Easter Christians, those who show up for the big
holidays but whom we may not see the rest of the year. In my opinion, humble as
it is, I think we ought to be grateful that they even bother to come at
Christmas and Easter. At least they are there twice a year. There are memorable
and hopeful stories of both the birth and the resurrection of the person we
call Jesus. It may not be ideal to have people only come twice a year, but at
least it’s something. They may hear more in those two visits a year then some
of us sitting in the pew would hear if we were there every Sunday. It could
also be said that some of the Christmas and Easter Christians try to do
Christlike things, consciously or not.
I think this Lazarus Saturday I’m going
to be standing in front of the tomb of dear friends, at least mentally. There
are so many that I wish Jesus would come and tell to come forth, even for just
a day. I miss them just as Mary and Martha had yearned for their brother
Lazarus. They got a second chance, something I won’t have. Those people beyond
the veil will be in my heart, and my mind, and I so wish I could talk to them
and tell them things I didn’t get to before they died. Luckily for Mary and
Martha, they had a chance for a do-over.
In the busyness of Holy Week to come,
save room in your heart for those who have gone to greater glory, those we love
and miss. Think of Mary and Martha whose grief turned to joy, just as ours will
when Jesus rises again on Easter morning.
Jesus is our second chance; let’s not
waste it.
God bless.
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