Someone once said to me that I had gone into nursing because it was glamorous. Well once I had got the look of horror off my face, I asked why on earth they had said it? To them nursing was little more then walking up and down a ward in a starched white uniform raising blood pressures and temperatures. Thoughts flow into your head of “Carry On films” OHH Matron and junior Dr’s trying to steal a quick kiss from the staff nurse. That was and still is a fantasy. Nursing is so much more it’s about being alongside people in times of need, distress and joy. Sometimes, just sometimes there was nothing we could doCopyright St Elisabeths.
There are times when doctors and nurses feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
There was nothing we could do.
Human ability can only go so far and sometimes it falls short of what we wish it could do.
During lent we have thought about our own failings towards God and asked for his grace and mercy. But in these reading today we get yet another aspect on our Lenten journey. We acknowledge our powerlessness and limitations, but here is the good news - we have no need to wallow in it. We can choose to do something and that is recognise that God alone holds power. He alone has glory, splendour and majesty over things we cannot control, even over life and death. Lazerus, his family and the people of Bethany are witness to that power. But the raising of Lazerus would cost Jesus dearly.
Copyright St Elisabeths.
This gospel reading would be a great one for during the Easter season but its here in Lent. Because it is in lent it gives us an opportunity to see this story in a new light. There is so much more than a resurrection story here. So much more, for us to think about.Copyright St Elisabeths.
Jesus comes to us today in this story as a human, with human emotions and feelings that flow right to the surface. His humanity is evident, but it is never separated from his Divine nature. We are not hearing the story of a Divine human who is separated from his world devoid of feeling compassion. This was a man, a divine man, but a MAN none the less who is moved to tears, emotional and full of grief. Jesus the man and Christ the Divine may have been held together inseparable, but Jesus wept. Part of him was in crisis but this crisis is not just to do with being bereaved at the death of his friend and seeing Martha and Mary so grief stricken. No - The Divine Christ knew he could help his friends. He knew he could raise Lazerus and be the ultimate comforter and life giver. But underneath Jesus Christ knew that what we would do this day, would come at a price. His actions and his conversation would cause controversy rather than rejoicing. Martha’s own understanding of life and death leads Jesus to declare his identity. Jesus, Martha’s human friend and fellow mourner tells her.
‘I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die”.
Martha is left in no doubt who Jesus is and gains comfort from that.
This is a sentence from scripture that most of us are familiar with. Funerals nearly always start with comforting sentences and this one is probably the most familiar of all. It reaches to the heart of our faith and our relationship with God. If you believe this you will know that there is hope: when human abilities fall short and we are helpless. There is hope if we trust the powerful and merciful God who is full of compassion. Our God, who is the true life, giver now and for eternity. To Martha, Mary and to us it’s not something we can sit and wonder about when it is going to happen. It has already. It is as present today as it was in Bethany all those years ago. Martha stood there in her grief but understood that this man who cried for her brother is also her Christ. Martha knows to be united with Jesus means to be a recipient of eternal life. That is quite a gift.
Martha is asked Copyright St Elisabeths.
“Do you believe this?” She answers “yes”.
“Do you?”
It’s difficult for those of us who have been in the rawness of grief to gain comfort just from a sentence. It is impossible to keep our faith. Sometimes faith is no comfort and we are overwhelmed with bereavement. We have been where Mary and Martha were - by the tomb amid the decay and shrouds. Even in the most desperate times of our lives there is divine action and there is life.
There is life, earthly life for Lazerus but at what cost for Jesus, in amongst these events and high emotion, was man, who knew that his own death was not far away.
Not a lot of rejoicing at Bethany. Jesus was sombre, disturbed in sprit and moved. Other’s were frightened and went running to the religious authorities. Giving rise to the plot to crucify Jesus.
This story of life leads to a story of death and Christ’s Passion. We see also that there are people who when they feel helpless and frustrated get angry and lash out even when good has been done. It happened in Bethany and it happens here. Humanity hasn’t changed. Next week in Holy Week it will become clear, violence will solve nothing.
Depending on people might leave us disappointed but having the courage to hand that helplessness to the gentle mercy of the Father brings its own rewards. We are given reassurance, the gift of eternal life. Reassurance for Martha started with the statement “I am the resurrection and the life” and was proved by Christ’s Passion. But it is up to us, the ball is in our court, have we got the faith to believe it? Have we got the courage for our own proclamation and declaration – In God a trust he is the resurrection and the life.Copyright St Elisabeths.
Amen
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