Reflection 5th Sunday of Lent '08

Reflection for the Vigil of the Fifth Sunday of Lent 2008
Constance Krstolic, OSB

Jesus did something that none of us would ever think of doing!
He took his sweet time getting to his friend who was in a dying condition.

Why, if any of us heard, this very night, of a good friend who needed our presence because of impending death.—–we would GO.

Jesus, though, took his sweet time.

On top of that, Martha and Mary were waiting for him, and no Jesus.

Can you just see Martha, stewing around and finally going out to meet Him.
I must admit that I have stereotyped Martha. I think she was a red head and with both hands on her hips said: “Jesus, where were you? If you had been here, my brother would not have died!” After she confronts Jesus ,she pivots and leaves in a puff of dust.

Mary, on the other hand, after listening to Martha talk about her encounter with Jesus goes out to meet Him and says the same thing, but this time in a more genteel sort of way: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Two different personality types— a little bit of both in all of us.

We know the resurrection teaching of Jesus behind this story that we’ve heard so very often…

Tonight, though, let’s wander into the story and stand there with the bystanders who were
milling around the tomb? They knew Lazarus and his sisters very well.
Quietly they questioned— how could this have happened to such a nice family?
They, too, were broken hearted.

Jesus arrives and says to THEM roll away the stone.
The stone which had come between the dead Lazarus and his sisters and friends.

Stones come between us—stones which protect you and me from feeling the pain,
the loneliness, the emptiness, the coldness of being buried in our fears, our hurts,
our memories— stones that protect us from feeling one another’s pains.

Roll away the stone Jesus says to us….take away your resistance to being used by Me.
Share in My healing presence . Move the stone that keeps you from getting involved in
someone’s pain. I have invited you to be ministers of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Let me use you, Jesus says, so that freedom of spirit can become reality for your sisters.

The bystanders’ response is emphatic ……..oh no we can’t move the stone…...the stench will be awful! Sounds like us at times, doesn’t it? We can come up with so many different excuses that our creative nature overdoses on reasons why we cannot or would not want to get involved with someone who seems to be lifeless, spiritless.

There are stone-memories; “stories” that have gotten in our way that have become heavy
blockages, that do not allow us to cooperate with the intent of Jesus to free those with whom we live, with whom we minister.

Asking in prayer that we can name these stones, asking in prayer that Jesus help us move these heart-felt stones will empower us to not only share in freeing others but will ultimately free us to receive the grace of new-life intended as gift for all of us.
(John 11:26)

Back to the story..
When the stone finally is rolled back, Jesus calls Lazarus
….He calls him by name….Lazarus, Come OUT!

And he came forth, bound up in burial cloths.
Bound up. Tied up. Shuffling. Barely able to navigate.
Yet still the spark, the desire of his heart, prompted him to respond. He came out!

Again Jesus surprises us….Jesus then turns to the crowd, to us and says to you and to me,
untie him! Untie? Bound up, tied up, barely able to navigate…..play with the words….what about up-tight……...How does Jesus invite you and me to untie those around us who are bound up...tied up….up tight as it were?

What a command! What an invitation we have received from Jesus to participate in freeing those around us, those sitting across from us this night! We know one another so well. We’ve been through a lot together in the last couple of years. We all, at times, have been up-tight needing someone’s time, someone’s ear, someone’s concern...just someone to be there for us.

What has it taken for us to reach out to another who is in need of being set free?

Why would we even want to get that involved in someone’s life?

What would it cost us?
Time. Energy. Heart pain. Having to listen to ideas that are not our own.
Untie me!
Am I not my sister’s keeper? Aren’t we family? Aren’t we community?
It only takes a moment to let someone know that we are there for them.

Can we ask that our hearts be sensitized to see the potential for freedom in each one’s heart that we meet? Can we be mindful? Can we be sensitive beyond the obvious, to what our human eyes see as we look into one another’s faces….hearts?

Jesus reminds us that that we are the ones He calls upon to reach out and minister to the sister next to us, across from us.

Once set free through the power of Jesus healing presence, we are free indeed. (John 8:36)
Once that gift has been given and received, it will never be taken back. (Romans 11:29)
Once we allow the grace of God to work through us, we, together, will come out, untied,
navigating with the Spirit’s anointing of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Generosity and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The only remaining question is: Am I really willing to be there for you? You for me?