29/07/2021

Today the Church remembers Jesu's special friends; the sisters Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. The readings are both from St John. The first used to be very popular at weddings. The reason being obvious but at the same time somewhat wrong-headed as the Love that John is praising is much more than the human affection that is the reason for the wedding. God's Love is his very being. It is his Truth and his Life. The Son laid down his life acting out the being of God in atonement for the sins of our world. God's Love can be the target we aim at in our human life always remembering that  the perfect Love of the Trinity results in the Crucifixion of the Son which on the third day becomes the Resurrection.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. In her grief Martha complains that Jesus has let them down as if he had been quicker he would have been able to prevent Lazarus' death but so strong is Jesus' charisma that she believes there is still hope that God will listen to his prayer for the death to be reversed. Jesus' enigmatical " Your brother will rise again" produces the still dissatisfied " I know that he will rise again on the last day." Is Jesus exasperated when he answers?  There is nothing enigmatical about the statement that follows and Martha's response is an unambiguous statement of faith in the Lord.

Lazarus is one of several "risings from the dead" performed by Jesus during his time on earth but they all were eventually followed by death. Jesus himself rises to a new form of Life, an everlasting life that he promises  to us if we truly cooperate with him in the way that we live this our only time that  is gifted to us by the Father, atoned for by the Son and supported by the Holy Spirit, the Love that is all three.

Dear Lord you know what a mess I am making of my life which has received so much from you. Let me be true to your teachings and faithfully avoid all sin and occasions thereof.