A Glorious and Blessed Easter to all of you!
I came across this wonderful reflection from St Augustine of Hippo about St John's Passion, and wanted to share. I can assure you I will not look at the cross the same way again!
As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds
as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price
offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his
resurrection.
He bows his head, as if to kiss you.
His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His
arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is
displayed for your redemption.
Ponder how great these things
are.
Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was
once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he
may now be fixed in every part of your soul.
Ponder how great these things are, indeed.
God Bless you!
When I get to a Gospel reading that I have heard many, many times - especially one that has a pretty clear message like today's Lazarus story - I try and find a new perspective.
I usually look at the Lazarus story as a microcosm of our larger Faith story. Jesus raises a man from the dead, much like He will be raised from the dead shortly thereafter. His Apostles and other followers start to believe even more after watching the unthinkable happen right before their eyes... much like millions more will over the centuries that follow. Jesus talks about walking in the Light - a metaphor for all of us to follow the path that He illuminates for us.
And so on and so forth.
Today I looked at this passage through a different lens - time.
One of the things that struck me today was that both Martha and Mary say the same thing to Jesus ... basically that "if only You had been here our brother would be alive".
In their view of the world, Jesus was not there when they wanted Him to be. He was "late" by their clock. Likewise the near-term outcome was not what they wanted either. In their all-too-human plan, Jesus is with them when Lazarus falls ill and prevents him from dying.
(On a side note, twice in this reading John tells us that Jesus was "perturbed". That word really struck me.)
Jesus knew that not only were they going to get the outcome they wanted, but because it happened on HIS time, and not theirs, there would be an even greater good. They - like us - were thinking much too myopically.
In God's plan, this was a moment in time that could not only bring those present closer to Him, but one that would resonate for eternity.
I hope you are having a Blessed Lent.