A Trusted Friend (Jn 11:1-45)

Having a trusted friend close at hand in times of trouble can be a great source of strength and comfort.  The very presence of such a friend can be uniquely beneficial, especially when a loved one of ours dies.  If our dear friend fails to show up during our time of need without good reason, our emotional distress and sense of loss can be more agonizing.  We often feel alone and abandoned, more so if we had asked our friend beforehand to be there at a particular time, and still, they do not show.

This must have been the way Martha felt when Jesus finally showed up after Lazarus had died and she said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but even now I know that whatever you ask, God will give you” (Jn 11:21-22).  Despite her distress over Jesus not being there at a critical time, Martha does not lose hope.  She still trusts that Jesus will help her, and he does.  Jesus eagerly reciprocates her faith by raising Lazarus to life.  Take away the stone!  Come out of the tomb!  Untie him and let him go!!  This is how Jesus offers hope in the face of death—he embraces life.

Hope and trust are the whole point of the story about raising Lazarus from the dead.  With this miracle, Jesus underscores the whole purpose of his mission.  Jesus came that we may have life to the full (Jn 10:10).  Jesus is the source of all life, and he offers eternal life to those who believe in him and follow his way of love.  This is the hope that Jesus offers Martha as a comfort in her sorrow.  This is the same hope that he offers all of us.

In raising Lazarus, Jesus demonstrates his power over life and death, both in a physical and a spiritual sense.  Therefore, not only can he make good on his own claim to rise from the dead.  Jesus shows that he can make good on his promise of eternal life to those who believe in him and trust in his ways (Ps 37:3-4; Jer 17:7-8).  Against the hopelessness and sadness of death, Jesus reveals the hope that he alone embodies.  I am the resurrection and the Life, says Jesus; he who believes in me shall live, even if he dies (Jn 11:25).  

An interesting detail in this story is the very human emotions that Jesus displays upon his arrival.  Jesus grieves with Mary and Martha over the loss of their brother, for he too loves Lazarus.  The language used in the story conveys the depth of Jesus’ feelings:  he is “...deeply moved in spirit and was troubled” (v33).  He weeps (v35).  Jesus is not only sorrowful.  He is also perturbed over the tragedy and harsh reality of death itself (v38).  Thus, with his own tears and emotions, Jesus shows that he is our brother.  He knows and understands our suffering and sorrow, especially over the death of our loved ones.

For these reasons, the raising of Lazarus is a powerful story about faith, hope, trust and love.  It is also a story about fear and rejection.  The story reflects two different reactions to the event.  Some of those who witness the raising of Lazarus embrace Jesus in faith.  The disciples even had their faith strengthened by the event.  Others, however, react with fear and rejection.  

The chief priests and the Pharisees were among those who became very afraid of Jesus when they learned what he had done.  Their fear was so great that they immediately began their plot to murder Jesus a few days later.  For all we know, their plans may very well have included a plot to murder Lazarus as well, to erase the influence and appeal of the miracle.  In any case, the story reveals that having hope and trust in Jesus can be risky business, as much today as it was back in his day.  Nevertheless, Jesus calls us to follow him and live in the Spirit of God with the same three commands that he gave at the tomb of Lazarus.

First, Jesus commands all those present to “Take away the stone” (v 39-41).  Imagine that we are the tomb, with hearts and minds closed to what God wants.  Jesus urges us to take away the stone that blocks his entry into our hearts.  He implores us to remove the stone that blocks our faith and trust in God.  God wants to put His spirit in us and turn our stony hearts into natural hearts for love, but only if we allow it.  The Psalmist highlights our freedom in that regard when he says, “if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 95:7-8).  In all humility, Jesus begs us to make room for him in our hearts without delay.

The second command Jesus gives to the dead man himself: “Lazarus, come out!”  Lazarus does just that and gropes his way out of the tomb.  He stumbles because he cannot see. He is all wrapped up in burial linens.  At times, we too cannot hear God calling us, or we hear but do not listen because we are tightly wrapped up in our own wishes and desires.  But this is no excuse.  We have a choice in that respect.  This freedom is what motivates Paul’s advice to the Ephesians—learn what is pleasing to God (Eph 5:10).  Isaiah too declares that we can learn to do good and seek justice (Is 1:17).  Thus, if we ask, Jesus will help us loosen the bonds of selfishness and structure our lives with the values of God.

The third command Jesus gives directly to the community: “Untie him and let him go.”  Lazarus needs the community to set him free.  Some of our friends and loved ones are in the tomb of hopelessness and despair.  Some are in the bondage of oppression and injustice.  Some are wrapped tight in prejudice and criticism.  Like Lazarus, they need our help to be set free—those who struggle with finances or family problems, or those who suffer with sickness or addiction, or those who are separated or alienated from friends and loved ones.  Even if they do not ask, our love and forgiveness can help free them and bring them back to life in Christ.  This is true even when all we have to give is heartfelt prayer. 

Jesus wants the Lazarus miracle to happen again.  Each time we take away the stone that stands between us and our companions in Christ—each time we step out of the tomb of isolation and help others—each time we break the chains of fear and reach out with love and forgiveness—we help Jesus bring others to life again.  This is risky business for sure.  Some may ridicule our offer and reject our help.  We may lose more in the effort than we expect.  We may even fail to achieve the desired result.

We are not without hope, however, for we know that God is the everlasting health of those who believe in Him.  “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rm 8:28).  Thus, with all confidence, we implore His aid to restore us to bodily and spiritual health.  We give thanks for His love through Christ, for, with the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption.  There is eternal life.  We can place our hope and trust in Jesus without fear, for he is our light and our salvation (Ps 27:1). 

It's Not What You Think (Lk 9-22-25)

We often misunderstand the kind of self-denial and sacrifice called for in following Christ.  Our misunderstanding stems from the claims that Jesus makes in a conversation with his disciples.  Jesus tells his disciples that he soon must undergo great suffering, and that we too must take up our own daily cross to follow him.  From this claim, we get the idea that following Jesus might create tension between our wills and the will of God.  In reality, the sacrifice and self-denial Jesus calls for does the very opposite—it brings the kind of peace possible only by living in a manner consistent with the values of God.

Jesus proves this point in confronting several temptations in the desert before starting his public ministry.  Satan presents these temptations to entice Jesus away from his original purpose—to do the will of God.  In tempting Jesus, the devil tries to repeat his success with Adam and Eve.  Satan tempts Adam and Eve with what appears to be an attractive alternative to the life and mission God had given them.  Satan seduces Adam and Eve into believing that they would be as gods, if only they would follow his command.  Satan offers Adam and Eve a different interpretation of their lives, and they buy into it.  Instead of holding fast to the life and mission that God had given them, Adam and Eve settle for the illusion invented by Satan.

Jesus, on the other hand, does not buy into the interpretation of his life and mission that Satan offers.  The devil tries to seduce Jesus into believing that Jesus’ mission is to be financially secure with material wealth and political power.  Jesus rejects that interpretation and holds fast to the life and mission that God gives him.  He understands and accepts what faithfulness entails for him in this world despite the self-denial and suffering involved—and God rewards his faithfulness.  For, the angels come and minister to Jesus after he successfully resists these temptations and reaffirms his faithfulness to God, no matter the cost.

The success of Jesus in resisting these temptations gives the impression that he’s now off the hook.  He’s proven his mettle as the faithful Son of God and will no longer endure temptation of any kind.  In reality, the desert temptations were only an example and prelude to the temptations that Jesus would continually face throughout his earthly life (Lk 4:13; Mt 16:23).  This reality is the basis for Paul’s claim that Jesus is able to “sympathize with our weaknesses…because he has been tested in every way like we are, yet is without sin” (Heb 4:15).  

Hunger, grief, rejection, homelessness, and the unrelenting threat to his life posed by the Pharisees were no less difficult for Jesus than for anyone.  These conditions alone would pose a constant temptation for Jesus to abandon his mission and avoid the easily foreseeable cruel death he would endure.  So, no, Jesus was not let off the hook once he conquered the desert temptations.

We might be tempted to think that such temptations are not ours to deal with and overcome.  And yet, with all the glamor and attractions of modern life, listening and responding to the Word of God is a challenge at times, to say the least.  There are many other voices competing for our attention and devotion.  Do we follow a voice alien to our Father in heaven?  Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice and follow him (Jn 10:27).  Do we accept the interpretation of our lives that others try to impose on us?  Do we let others decide who we are or who we should be?  Do we abandon the grace and purpose that God gives us in favor of the interpretation that others have for us?  Do we respond to temptation like the Israelites in the desert who chose a golden calf idol over the true God, or do we follow Jesus in the desert and remain faithful to God no matter the cost?

We are children of God.  Jesus said that being a member of his family meant not only hearing the Word of God, but acting on it as well (Luke 8:19-21).  As children of God, we are called not only to be hearers of the Word, but also doers of the Word (Jm 1:22-25).  Lent is a time of preparation and choice to adopt and follow the values of God.  

May these days of Lent be our preparation to imitate the faithfulness of Jesus.  We have Jesus’ word that the Holy Spirit is our guide and helper (Acts 1:3-4).  His own response to temptations in the desert is reason enough to believe that Jesus will keep his word.  For, we have a high priest able to sympathize with our weaknesses in every way (Heb 4:15).  In that case, we can be sure that following Jesus creates harmony with the will of God and brings the peace he offers to his faithful ones.   

Take Off the Mask (Mt 5:17-37)

Very soon, we will celebrate Mardi Gras in preparation for Lent.  A fun part of Mardi Gras is the enjoyment of many foods and various delights before giving up some of them for Lent.  Another fun part of this celebration are the many parades and costume parties that go on.  Putting on a costume and mask to hide our true identity is always fun because we can pretend to be anybody we want.  Indeed, pretense is the whole point of wearing a mask.

In real life, we also wear masks for the same reason.  At times, we want to pretend in a way that conceals our thoughts or emotions, or enables us to meet social expectations, or to hide our true intentions.  In most cases, the pretense is a harmless part of ordinary living, like putting your best foot forward, so to speak.  The innocence of wearing a mask disappears, however, when the pretense becomes an excuse for mistreating or unjustly harming others.  

The injustice of this kind of pretense is precisely why Jesus called out the hypocritical behavior of the Pharisees.  Their public pretense of keeping the Word of God concealed their fake piety and religious elitism.  Their mask enabled the extortion and mistreatment of others for personal gain.  They had taken the wrong road.  Theirs was an inauthentic faith that undercut their true spiritual destiny by steering them away from the true God.  Jesus wants us to go the other way and stay on the right road of authentic faith based on the values and wisdom of God.  

To that end, he does something a bit unexpected.  He provides several examples to help us think outside the box and expose the illusion and spiritual danger of an inauthentic faith.  He deepens our understanding in that regard by describing anger as having the same root as murder.  He warns us to settle our differences before offering our gifts at the altar.  He claims that the vows of marriage require more than a pretense of loyalty.  He says that mocking others and calling them names is a form of cruelty subject to severe judgement.

From a modern perspective, these claims appear absurd, impractical, and unreasonable.  Today, we readily shun those who hate us.  We think nothing of returning insult for insult.  We imprison those who steal as common criminals, and we expect repayment in full for money loaned.  We only give to those who deserve it, and we know exactly who qualifies.  We view bad behavior as deserving of just punishment.

Authentic faith, on the other hand, calls for a different perspective—love of enemies, doing good to those who hate us, giving more to the one who steals from us, lending without expecting a return, refusing to judge and condemn others.  Jesus wants us to stop focusing on who deserves our help, and instead, offer assistance when and where needed regardless of why the person needs our help.  This is not to say that motive counts for nothing, but it does mean that we cannot turn our backs on those who need our cloak, our funds, our respect.  To refuse such help is unjust.

God gives us a choice between life and death, good and evil.  Whichever we choose will be given us.  We receive back what we give: give and gifts will be given in good measure…overflowing in fact (Ps 126:5; Lk 6:38).  We can live by the wisdom and values of God if we so choose (Sir 15:15).  As Jesus puts it, whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it (Mt 16:25).  The inference of that choice is plain enough—we literally build our spiritual life both here and in the hereafter by the way we live day by day, deed by deed, choice by choice.

We simply make better choices on our spiritual journey when we love others in a way that is shaped by our love for God.  This is the point that Christ makes when he emphasizes the preeminence of love with the two great commandments.  For Jesus, love binds us to each other and to God in a dynamic, interconnected relationship.  The result is that whatever we do to and for the other, we do to and for Christ himself.  Living by the principle of love means that we see things in a different way than is expected.  We see with the eyes of the soul rather than with ordinary eyes.  

With ordinary eyes, many of the “least” don’t look as we imagine God.  The least may frighten us, be different from us, or seem undeserving.  Such a vision leads us to give only to those who give to us; to do good to those who do good to us; lend only to those who will repay.  Jesus calls us to a different way of life, a different way of seeing things. Jesus expects us to live according to the values and wisdom of God.

In essence, Jesus expects us to follow him on his path of love.  He is our model for daily living in both word and deed.  We put on the mind of Christ without pretense to see ourselves and others as Jesus sees us—with the eyes of love.  This is the essence of authentic faith that enables us to be the kind of person we are meant to be, in which case we have no need of masks.  This deeper perspective on authentic faith is what Jesus means when he says that he came not to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill. 

Stick to the Right Road (Mk 6:14-29)

The mission of John the Baptist is described in the New Testament as the “voice of one crying out in the desert,” proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4; Is 40:3).  In fact, these three words—sin, repentance, and forgiveness—indicate the entire focus of John’s mission, a mission that Jesus himself reaffirmed when he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17).  These three words have meaning for us today as well, because sin is part and parcel of the human fabric.  Thus, the need for repentance and forgiveness persists to this day.

Sin itself is a matter of going down the wrong road, embracing something that takes us away from the one true God.  To sin is to follow and imitate a false god.  We get an idea of what a false god is in the Psalm that reads: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands…Those who make them become like them; as do all who trust in them” (Ps 115:4-8).  In other words, false gods are those things with no lasting value, the illusions we treasure and prefer.  We know what those illusions are because we know what captures our attention, and how we devote our time and energy.  We know what matters to us.   

For that reason, the god we worship—whether the true God or a false god—always motivates and energizes our decisions about what to pursue and how to live in the world (CCC 1782-89; CCC for Adults, p. 315).  There is a spiritual line that separates the two possibilities, with legitimate attention and effort on one side, and the illusion of idol worship on the other.  No rule of religion or theology draws this line for us.  Each of us knows where the line is and when we cross it.  

All of this is to say that sin is not simply a matter of breaking rules by doing this, or not doing that.  Rather, sin is a mindset, a choice to turn away from the true God of love toward a false god of illusion.  It follows that repentance is a decision to go back on the right road.  What triggers a decision to repent is perhaps different for each of us, but St. Paul attributes the underlying motivation to God himself.  

For Paul, the loving kindness of God leads a person to give up sinful ways and once again live with integrity, to live in a manner consistent with the values of God (Rm 2:4).  In this sense, repentance is more often a process of transformation that begins with an awareness that we have crossed the line, that we have gone down the wrong road.  Acknowledging and owning this error in turn leads to a desire for forgiveness.    

Forgiveness is a standing offer from God, always available, without reserve, to those who ask for it (1 Jn 1:9).  In fact, the word “pardon” first appears in the golden calf story when Moses says to God, “If I find favor with you, Lord, please…pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.”  God does just as Moses requests, thus revealing himself to be a God of mercy and forgiveness (Num 14:20).  

This exchange between God and Moses shows that God does not deal with us according to our sins, but with his mercy.  God is therefore our hope because he is gracious and slow to anger, a God of second chances who is eager to forgive our unfaithful behavior (Ps 103:8-10).  Awareness of our loving God is often the inspiration we need to repent and remain steadfast on the right road.

To Witness is to Evangelize is to Witness (Jn 1:29-34)

Suppose we knew that God wanted each of us to be his chief witness for Jesus, to testify on his behalf in a way that inspires faith in others.  Could we meet that challenge?  How would we meet that challenge?  These questions must have occurred to John the Baptist, appointed by God to be a chief witness for Christ, to testify to the Light.  John is not the only one called by God to be a witness for Jesus, nor is he the first.  

The first witness is Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.  God chose Mary to proclaim the coming of the Lord, first to her cousin Elizabeth, and then to others—in a special way at his birth, and then later at the Cana wedding feast.  There are many other such witnesses whose testimony is recorded in the New Testament.

These early witnesses are in essence the first evangelizers.  They were eager to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  They simply revealed to others what they had seen and heard.  In fact, the efforts of these first evangelizers defined the course of missionary work in the early Church that continues today in full force the world over.   We celebrate this missionary work every year on the third Sunday in October.  This year will mark the 100th anniversary of this celebration established by Pius XI.  The theme for this year’s celebration chosen by Pope Leo is “One in Christ, united in mission.”

The heart of all missionary work centers on the confident proclamation of the message of Christ.  The aim is to inspire trust and faith in Christ.  Go forth and teach all nations, Jesus says to his disciples.   This directive applies to more than a select few in the Church, however (Mt 28:19).  As followers of Christ, we all are called to proclaim his message.   

There is no better way to understand his words when Jesus says, come, follow me.  All four gospels record this invitation of Jesus (Mt.16:24-28, Mk. 8:34-35, Lk. 9:23-24, Jn. 12:25).  Jesus calls each of us to work in his vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16, Mk. 10:29-31, Lk. 18:29-30), to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8).  In accepting his invitation, we in fact become evangelizers.  The question for us today is how do we do that?  How can we evangelize the Christian message?  

The short answer is twofold—we evangelize with our lives and with our deeds.  There is no other way to evangelize other than living out the faith that we hold in our hearts.  The way we live our daily lives in fact is our answer to the invitation by Jesus to follow him.  In turn, what we hold dear in our hearts motivates what we do, our deeds.  We always do what is important to us.  When our lives are centered on Christ and his love for us, we bring his loving presence to others in a way that inspires faith and heals the soul (Mt 7:16, Rm 15:7).  Evangelization is fundamentally a journey of love.  

Jesus invites us to go with him on this journey for three good reasons.  First, Jesus appeals to our natural fondness for challenge.  This is the whole point in asking us to go on a journey that invites us to exchange our love of wealth for love of others.  Jesus wants us to journey with him, who is love itself.  Jesus is fully aware that accepting his invitation means that we abandon our fear of the unknown and place our trust in him.  He also knows how difficult this can be at times.

Second, Jesus appeals to our natural fascination with mystery.  We like the mysterious.  Jesus asks us to follow him without saying where we shall go or what we will do together.  Jesus invites us without providing the details.  We do not chart the way.  We do not decide when to rest and when to go on.  We do not even know what the experience will be like along the way.  We simply get up, leave behind our old ways and habits, and follow him.  

Third, Jesus appeals to our natural desire for community, for connection.  His invitation is to voluntarily associate with his followers in a special way.  Living in community provides the most fundamental way we experience love, especially in our families and in our faith communities.   In both family and in community, we can learn how to connect with others in a meaningful way.  We learn how to love and invite others to join our community.  

These three elements—challenge, mystery, and community—are the heart and soul of the invitation that Jesus extends.  With these elements, Jesus aims to show that the journey of love, however mysterious, is a journey that leads to eternal life.  That journey begins with a genuine attitude of trust and abandon in the here and now.  

Our choice to accept his offer calls for us to think about our lives in comparison to how Jesus invites us to live—seeking peace, honoring justice, showing mercy, and above all, loving others without bias and judgment.  In that case, we might have to give up some old ways of doing things, but we have nothing to fear in accepting this challenge.  We can trust the Holy Spirit to show us the way and to provide the necessary grace to “walk the talk” (2 Cor 12:9).

Walking on this path provides opportunity to encounter others with the ears and eyes of faith.  Faith enables us to see Christ in ourselves and in others.  We can do this because each person we encounter on the path of love is a child of God.  When we look into the face of another, no matter how distorted or ugly that face appears to us, we look into the face of Christ.  When we deliberately seek the Lord in our encounters with others, especially the least of his children, we are sure to see him.

Our calling to evangelize is a calling to live a different way in the world, to see things in a different way, to adopt a worldview that is possible only through Christ, who strengthens us for the task (Phil 4:13).  As evangelizers, we become coworkers with Christ.  We become the salt of the earth, light for the world, a branch of the true vine, a temple of the Holy Spirit, who in turn renews the face of the earth.  We are all chosen for a life of good works born of faith and love to bring about a new reality, a new world—the kingdom of God.  This is what evangelization is all about.  This is what it means to bring the message of Christ to others.  

Faith is Active, Not Static (Mk 2:1-12)

    There’s a different way to imagine what faith means than how we usually think of it today.  Today, we tend to think of faith in static terms, more as a frame of mind, something we have, rather than something we do.  In modern terms, having faith in God is commonly understood as a belief that God exists, while the content of our faith is a set of beliefs about God.  The ancient Hebrews, however, understood faith as something more than a fixed belief.

    For them, faith was an active relationship with God built on a lively belief and trust on their part that God would make good on his promises; that God would indeed do as he said he would.  For that reason, their lives centered on their faith, which in turn, shaped and influenced the way they lived.  In other words, the ancient Hebrews understood faith in an active sense, something they did.  Their faith was a matter of daily living in a vibrant, dynamic, trusting relationship with God.  

    This is the background for the story of healing in today’s gospel.  The story of Jesus healing the paralytic is a story about faith in an active sense.  Notice that the paralytic does not ask Jesus for healing.  Rather, he is brought before Jesus by his friends and remains silent.  This approach reveals humility and courage on his part as a reflection of his hope and trust.  The paralytic’s desperate need to be among the living once again compels him to seek the help of Jesus.  And, in his compassion, Jesus meets the man where he is, in his silent need.  Their encounter shows that hope, trust and compassion are the essence of faith rather than law and ritual.  Their encounter shows that the relationship between believer and God is a personal relationship built on trust and energized by faith.

    In plain terms, the story reveals Jesus’ divine power to heal in both a physical and a spiritual sense and welcome the sinner back into the faith community.  Inspired by faith, the paralytic takes the initiative in approaching Jesus with hope for a cure, and trusts that Jesus will respond with compassion.  Jesus does indeed respond with compassion and authority to heal the man’s paralysis and forgive his sins.  Jesus affirms the authenticity of his faith, first by forgiving the man’s sins, and then by telling him to “rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”   

    The lesson for us is clear.  Jesus is willing to respond to us in our need, and wants us to be daring in seeking his help.  Because Jesus wants a relationship with us, he does not restrict who may seek him or when.  Clearly, the paralytic sought Jesus WHEN he was in need of healing, and BEFORE he was healed.  Jesus is not saying to us:  Go get holy, go be healed of your sins and then knock on the door.  Rather, Jesus says to us:  Knock on the door and I will open it.  I will show you how to be holy.  I will forgive you and welcome you back into full communion with me.

    The encounter between Jesus and the paralytic demonstrates that we can approach Jesus no matter what our circumstances.  Jesus meets us where we are.  He looks for and is eager to respond to the faith and trust that each of us can muster.  We can trust that Jesus will respond to our needs with compassion.  That is the nature of his love.  May the faith and trust of the paralytic inspire and strengthen us in our own faith and trust in Jesus that we may follow him more closely in our daily lives.