Great Expectations

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, March 26th, 2023:
The Fifth Sunday of Lent

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John
11.3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45

The sisters of Lazarus sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard this, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

Jesus was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

Everyone seems to be doing something unexpected in this Gospel. 

I expect Jesus, full of love, to move. People rush to tell Him Lazarus is deathly ill. If I were writing the story, I would have Jesus heroically moving to His friend’s side, no matter the risk of stoning awaiting Him in Jerusalem. He would reach out His hand, as He has with others, and Lazarus would be well.

I expect Thomas, full of doubt, to refuse to follow. Two days has passed since the news from Bethany came, and Jesus decides, since Lazarus has died, that it’s time to go. If I were writing the story, I would have doubting Thomas say something about the futility of putting themselves in danger in the absence of proof that any good will come it.

I expect Martha, full of frustration, to stay back at the house and mind the guests. Lazarus is in the tomb; mourners have gathered at the family’s house and word has arrived that Jesus is coming close – finally. If I were writing the story, Martha would hear this and busy herself fussing with the family, friends, and official mourners. Maybe she’d be in the kitchen, trying to bury her anger at Jesus for not coming in time and smashing down the dishes a little too hard.

I expect Lazarus, being dead, to stay that way. 

My expectations are far too small, and reality is stranger than fiction when the Author of our salvation comes to call.

Jesus, Your denial to move is not a denial to love. As Your love calls You to wait for the deeper joy coming, Your own sorrow for the temporary pain of your people lies deep within Your gut. Help me to know You in both the joy and the sorrow. Even when things are hard, You carry that weight with me, step by step. And when joy comes, You strengthen me to bear the weight of Your glory, step by step.

St. Thomas, in thinking through the cost of following Jesus’ love, you figured it was worth it — even if it meant the end of you. Patron of architects, help me to design the structures of my life to balance form and function, fostering the following of our beautiful Lord.

St. Martha, in personal loss, you ran to Jesus, trusting He was the answer rather than staying within your home and yourself and your pain. Patron of homemakers, people who create a life within a house, help me to come home to the heart of Jesus.

St. Lazarus, you rose at the sound of your name in Jesus’ mouth. Help me to rise and come to life at the sound of His voice. Help me to live in great expectation of His coming close. 

Father, I’m so thankful You are the Author and not I.

St. Thomas, pray for us. St. Martha, pray for us. St. Lazarus, pray for us. Holy Spirit, be with us. 



Noreen Smith

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