In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Beloved in Christ,
Today, we stand at the threshold of Holy Week. The raising of Lazarus is not just a miracle—it is a revelation. It proclaims who Christ truly is: “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” This event foreshadows His resurrection, but more than that, it reveals the depth of God’s love and His power over death itself.
Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. His body had begun to decay, and yet, at a single command from Christ—“Lazarus, come forth!”—he rose from the dead. This moment reminds us of three essential truths:
1. Christ is the Lord of Life and Death
Martha, in her sorrow, says, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” How often do we think the same way? We believe in Christ’s power, but we confine it to the past or the future: “If only” or “One day, in the resurrection.” But Christ tells Martha—and us—“I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Not just in the distant future but here and now. His power is not limited by time or circumstance.
2. Christ Weeps With Us
Before calling Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus wept. The God-Man, who knew He would raise Lazarus, still wept. This is not just human emotion; it is divine love. Christ enters into our suffering. He does not ignore our grief, nor does He tell us to simply endure. He shares in our sorrow, and yet He does not leave us there—He transforms it into hope.
3. We Must Cast Off the Graveclothes
When Lazarus comes forth, he is still bound hand and foot in burial cloths. Christ commands: “Unbind him and let him go.” This is a powerful image for us. Though Christ gives us new life, we can still be bound by sin, fear, and the habits of our old selves. We are called to remove these graveclothes, to step into the fullness of life Christ offers.
Beloved brothers and sisters, today’s feast is a proclamation of victory. Christ raises Lazarus not only to show His power but to prepare us for the greater mystery to come: His Passion and Resurrection. And just as He called Lazarus from the tomb, He calls each of us to rise—to leave behind the darkness of sin and walk in the light of His Kingdom.
As we enter Holy Week, let us hold fast to this promise: “Whoever believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” May we walk with Christ to the Cross, knowing that beyond it lies the empty tomb and the triumph of Life over death.
To Christ our God, who is the Resurrection and the Life, be glory, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
