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38. Resurrection of Lazarus.

When the Lord had left Jerusalem again and was staying on the other side of the Jordan, Lazarus fell ill in Bethany. Martha and Mary, his sisters, told Jesus: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” Jesus told his disciples. But after a few days he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to wake him up.” He had died in the meantime. That is why Jesus said with such a mild and beautiful word: “He is asleep.” The disciples replied, “If he sleeps, he will be better.” For they took it for natural sleep. Then Jesus said freely: “Lazarus has died. But we will go to him.” Before they reached Bethany, Martha came to meet them. “Lord,” she said, ”if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus answered her: “Your brother will rise again. I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies.” Jesus did not yet want to go into the village or the house. He sent for Mary, the other sister, in silence. He wanted to talk to the poor, troubled souls alone. But there were many friends of Lazarus of Jerusalem in the house to visit and comfort the mourners, as love is wont to do. When they saw that Mary got up and went out, they said, “She wants to go to the tomb and weep,” and went after her. So they came with her to Jesus. She also said like her sister: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” They all wept with her - even Jesus, the friend of the mourners, was overcome with tears. When those present noticed this, some said to each other: “See, how he loved him so much!” But others thought that since Jesus had already performed such great miracles, he could have prevented Lazarus from dying. For human short-sightedness always rushes ahead of wise divine guidance with its judgments.

Meanwhile, Jesus was led to his friend's tomb and ordered the stone to be removed. There was only one stone over it. Martha wanted to object because he had already been dead for four days. She thought that Jesus only wanted to see the deceased once more because he had been so dear to him. Jesus replied that she would see the glory of God, a glorious work of divine omnipotence. When the stone had been removed and the tomb in which the dead man lay had been opened, Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed, then called into the tomb with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” Then the eye of the weary man opened to a new life; then his bones rose to a new life. He came forth as if he had only been asleep, and afterward returned with his own to their home. This was the glorious work that Jesus accomplished by the power of God, that he raised the dead to life. Death is only the way to a new life. Many of Mary's companions now believed in Jesus when they saw Lazarus raised from the dead. But some of them reported what Jesus had done to the Pharisees in Jerusalem. At that time, the priests and Pharisees decided to kill him. But Jesus went away to another region until Easter was near.