Facing death with hope

Jn 11:1-45 (5th week of Lent, year C)

The Raising of Lazarus, Alessandro Magnasco, 1715

As a young priest, one of the most difficulty ministries for me is celebrating funerals. When I am with those who are grieving I find it very difficult to know how I should act and what I should say. Certainly the most important thing is simply being present to those who are suffering and showing compassion. At the same time, I think that it is crucial to give them some words that can help them. I strongly believe that as followers of Jesus we have been given a message that can transform grief into hope. It is a message that we need to share with others.

Throughout history Christians have always viewed death differently. Like everyone one else, followers of Jesus certainly mourned when their loved ones passed away. At the same time, their mourning was always infused with a certain hope that death was not the end of the story. Let me give two examples. If you have been to Rome, perhaps you noticed something very interesting regarding the names given to burial sites that highlights this. In ancient Rome, pagans called this place of burial a “necropolis” which means the “city of the dead”. Death, they believed, was the end of the story. Christians living in ancient Rome, however, called their places of burial a “cemetery”. We still use this word today. Cemetery means “place of rest” or even “dormitory”. Christians always believed that death is not the end. As it says in the preface for a funeral Mass, we believe that “with death, life is changed not ended”. Another example that shows Christians viewed death differently is the gospel we have heard today. At the surface, this story is about the miracle of Jesus giving back life to Lazarus. Below the surface, there are other layers of meaning. The actions and words of Jesus and those around Him are meant to convey a very important message about the meaning of death for the followers of Jesus. When we did deeper into the Gospel story of Lazarus it becomes clear that Christians have always viewed the reality of death differently.

In fact, the resuscitation of Lazarus is a symbol for the resurrection to eternal life. I choose those words carefully: resuscitation and resurrection.  Jesus does come and give life back to Lazarus. He performs a resuscitation, because though Lazarus is made to live again, he will not live forever. He will die again. There is a deeper level of symbolism that shows the firm belief that when Lazarus does die - a second time - Jesus will raise him to eternal life. One interesting symbol is the bandages that are on the hands and feet of Lazarus. The story is sure to point this out and Jesus instructs that these bandages be removed. Scholars argue that it was not a Jewish custom to bind the head and feet of a deceased person for burial. They claim, then, that these bandages are symbols of the “bonds of death” (see Ps 116) from which Jesus can set us free. Another interesting symbol is the fact that the story of Lazarus being given back his life, is similar to the Resurrection of Jesus Himself. For example in both: 1) there is a rock over the tomb, 2) Mary mourning, 3) an important role for Thomas and 4) burial clothes. All this is evidence that the story of the resuscitation of Lazarus is a symbol for the firm hope of Christians that after death, Jesus would raise them to eternal life.

More than this, the Gospel reveals that it is through the death of Jesus that we will be raised to eternal life. When we look closely at this gospel we see that the passion and death of Jesus is referenced throughout it. By linking the raising of Lazarus to Jesus’ death, the author is making the point that it is through the death of Jesus that we have the hope to be raised to eternal life one day. Lets look at two points:

1. The placement of this miracle in the Gospel of John is significant. The gospel of John is broken into two parts: the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory. The Book of Signs is composed of seven signs or miracles. The raising of Lazarus is the final sign and is therefore a prelude to the Book of Glory, which is all about the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. In fact st is because Jesus raises Lazarus that the Sanhedrin makes the final decision to seek a way to put Jesus to death.
2. Jesus weeping. When Jesus approached the tomb of Lazarus why did He weep?Jesus choose to delay coming to see Lazarus while he was alive. Jesus Himself said that the death of Lazarus was good because it would lead to God’s glorification. Why weep? Some scholars argue that this is John’s version of the agony in the garden. Jesus is weeping as He prepares for his own death.

These ties to the passion and death of Jesus in the raising of Lazarus teach us that it is through the death of Jesus that we have the hope to be raised to eternal life.

This gospel story gives us the necessary strength to face the reality of our own death. Over the centuries, different philosophers have tried to give a definition for what a human being is. For example, St. Thomas Aquinas said that a human being is a rational animal. The more contemporary philosopher, Martin Heidegger, gave a startling definition for a human being. He said that humans are “beings made for death”. For him, the most significant thing about being a human is that we will one day all die. Knowing this, Heidegger noticed something troubling about human beings: we go to great lengths to avoid the reality that we will one day die. Now, some of this is natural, the subject of death is difficult to discuss. Yet is seems that our society goes to great lengths to ignore it. People occupy their entire existence chasing things - like money and power - that you simply cannot take with you. Heidegger argues that in order to truly live well, we need to confront the fact that we will one day die. There is much truth to this. Realizing that our time here is fleeting helps us to focus on what is truly important. But, if we lack faith, confronting the reality of our death can be a frightening and depressing prospect. Without faith there is nothing after death. This thought can lead to despair. One of my teachers once told me that if we tweak the advice of Heidegger, it is truly helpful. He would say that:

In order to live well, we need to look at the reality of our own death, but always with Jesus.

When we do this we realize:

1. Life is short and we need to live it the best way possible.
2. The best way to live our life is with Jesus. It is because of Him that death is not the end of our life. Jesus gives true meaning and hope to our life.

The story of the raising of Lazarus should give us the hope and courage to face the reality of our own death.

Death, as the saying goes, comes for us all. The miracle of the raising of Lazarus gives us a clear message that helps us to to face both the death of our loved ones and our own with hope. Because of His passion, death and resurrection, Jesus has given us the sure hope that we too will one day be raised to eternal life after our own death. Let us remind ourselves of this fact today: with death, life is changed, not ended. Or, in the wonderful words of the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore: Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come. The dawn is, of course, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

How to increase your faith in Jesus

John 1:9-41 (4th Sunday of Lent, Year A)

Christ Healing the Blind, El Greco, 1567

Is the event of Jesus healing the blind man in the gospel of today a miracle? Trick question! The story does tell about a miracle, but more importantly, the event is a sign. In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ miracles are always called signs. Signs are gestures or actions that are meant to convey a deeper meaning. For example, a red light is a sign which tells us to stop. The miracle of Jesus healing the blind man is supposed to function in the same way. The actions and words of Jesus and the other characters are meant to convey deeper layers of meaning. Unfortunately, we often focus only on the story of the miracle and miss the deeper meaning it teaches us. These signs of Jesus are like a layered cake. Often we just pay attention to the icing and miss out on the rest of the good stuff in the cake. Today then, lets dig deep into this sign to better appreciate what it has to offer us.

The first layer of this sign reveals to us that Jesus is the light of the world. The image of light runs throughout this miracle. For example, it is very significant that Jesus healed the blind man on the Feast of the Tabernacles. Without getting into all the details of this feast, it is important to recognize that another name for it was the Festival of Lights. This feast celebrated the Exodus, when God saved His people, leading them by a pillar of light. Just as Jesus literally brought light to the blind man by curing him, Jesus is the light of the world in two ways.

1. Guide: Just as the people of Israel were led to safety by a pillar of light, by His words and actions, Jesus is our guide leading us to our Heavenly Father. Through Jesus we come to know who God is and how we should live.
2. Life: Light, for example the light of the sun, also gives life. Through Jesus, the light of the world, we come to share in the Divine life.

Jesus, by being both our guide and source of life, is the true light of the world.

The second layer of this sign is a commentary on Baptism. Catch that part? At first this meaning does not seem obvious but among early Christians this miracle was given a Baptismal interpretation. Skeptical? Consider this evidence:

• Recall that light is a central theme of the sign. Early Christians described Baptism as fotismos, that is, the Sacrament of illumination.  In Baptism, Christ the light of the world forever is joined to us and over time our minds should become enlightened, being able to recognize good from bad, light and darkness.
• Remember exactly how Jesus cured the blind man? First He made a paste and rubbed it on the man’s eyes. Some translations describe that Jesus anointed the man’s eyes. After this, the man washed in water. The man is anointed and washed in water. The same thing happens at Baptism.
• It is significant that in the miracle Jesus gives sight to someone who was born blind. It is not a question of restoring something that was once there and became lost. In Baptism, much the same thing happens. At Baptism we are not given something that we once had, but are given the gift of Divine Life, something that we are born without and is not ours by any right.
• Finally, notice that throughout the sign, the issue of sin is often discussed. Whose sin caused the blindness? Did Jesus sin by healing on the Sabbath? Do the Pharisees sin by rejecting Jesus? Being freed from sin is of course of central importance in Baptism.

All this evidence points to the fact that this sign of Jesus is a powerful commentary on Baptism.

On the third layer, this sign provokes us to consider how we respond to Jesus, the light of the world. In the miracle, there are three distinct responses to the person of Jesus: rejection, hesitancy, and faithful witness. Can you guess which characters fit into each category? Perhaps more importantly, which category do you fit into?

1. Rejection. The Pharisees reject the person of Jesus. In fact, their opposition to Jesus grows throughout the story. In the beginning they seem to be divided as to what to think of Jesus. By the end they have condemned not only Jesus as a sinner, but also the man that Jesus has healed. Today there are still people who openly reject Jesus in this way and persecute His followers. When we look at the situation in places like Syria, Nigeria, we see that this is all too common.
2. Hesitancy. The parent’s of the blind man are hesitant towards Jesus. Instead of taking a stand as to whether Jesus has worked this miracle, they pass the buck to their son. Perhaps they are afraid of what the Pharisees will think of them. Regardless, they lack courage in their convictions. This has always been a highly populated category. For example, many Catholics and Christians come to Church for cultural reasons. They are lukewarm and their faith makes no impact on how they live their life outside of their time in Church. Most people have no problem telling other that Jesus is a good man, or a prophet, but when pressed whether they believe that Jesus is truly their Savior, the Son of God, they are forever sitting on the fence.
3. Faithful witness. The man who Jesus heals is an example of someone who witnesses to Jesus even in the face of persecution. He is always clear about what Jesus has done for him.

Rejection, hesitancy or faithful witness. Which category do you fall into? The gospel of today provokes us to ask ourselves this question.

The fourth layer of this sign reminds us that as Baptized Christians, we are called to emulate the faith journey of the man born blind. If you look closely at the story, you see something very significant. The man grows in His faith in Jesus over the course of the story. In the beginning, the blind man simply refers to Jesus as the man. Later on, he calls Jesus a prophet. Next he refers to Jesus as a man with power from God. Finally, at the end of the story he worships Jesus, an action that shows he thinks Jesus is God. What accounts for this dramatic change? Ultimately this transformation is a gift from God as it was Jesus who consistently reached out to this man and worked in His life. At the same time, the man responded to this grace. His story teaches us an important lesson:

The more we witness to Jesus by telling others the difference that He has made in our life, the more our faith in Jesus increases.

Each day we have opportunities to witness to Jesus both by our words and actions. For example, a simple question like, “what do you do on Sunday?” can be an opportunity to witness to Jesus. It is not easy to witness to Jesus to those around us, whether they be friends, coworkers or even family members. It can be embarrassing and there is always a fear that they will reject us. However, when we are able to explain to others why we are Catholic, why we believe in Jesus, why we take the time to pray, what difference Jesus has made in our life, we will find that our faith is strengthened. The important thing is to be authentic, if we have doubts we shouldn't be afraid to express it. The blind man was not always sure about Jesus’ identity, but he always had the courage to share with others who he thought Jesus was and what He had done in His life. As a result, his faith in Jesus grew. As Baptized Christians, we are called to emulate the faith journey of the man born blind.

This week let us challenge ourselves to witness to Jesus in some new way. Be creative in finding new ways to share with others what difference being a follower of Jesus makes in your life! Whether you witness to your family, friends or coworkers, and whether is is in a conversation or on social media, you will certainly find your own faith in Jesus strengthened. We will discover the truth that Bl. John Paul II loved to repeat: faith is strengthened when it is given to others.

God thirsts to be thirsted for

Jn 9:1-41, (3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A)

Christ And The Samaritan Woman, Via Latina Catacomb, Rome, 340 – 350

Have you ever been incredibly thirsty? Water is a basic necessity for human life. When in need of water we all feel thirst, which is one of the most intense and urgent sensations we can experience. In the gospel of today, which tells about the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, water plays a central role. In His dialogue with the woman, Jesus uses the natural thirst for water to point out a deeper and more vital need of the heart that each of us has. When this need is unmet, we all experience a thirst that is more painful and critical than our bodily thirst for water.

Each of our hearts has a profound desire for love that is longing to be quenched. We all thirst for true, unconditional love that makes us feel accepted for who we are, without having to do anything to earn it. When we lack this in our life, our heart is always restless.  The Samaritan woman came to draw water.  For a moment, put yourself in the place of the Samaritan woman.  You have just left your house at noon, the hottest part of the day.  The sun is beating down overhead and the streets are dusty.  Why have you have gone to draw water at this most inconvenient time? Because you know that the well will be deserted.  You want to avoid people.  You are rejected and an outcast.  Everyone sees you as a sinner because you have been married five times.  Your heart is fragile, wounded and restless.  You have so many desires: for love, for compassion and for acceptance.  Though your body is in need of water, within your soul you experience a thirst that is even more urgent.  The heart of each one of us is not much different than that of the Samaritan woman because like her we thirst for unconditional love.

There are many ways that we try unsuccessfully to quench this burning desire for love.  We are like someone dying of thirst who, finding no water, will try in vain to satisfy their thirst with any liquid. We do this in many different ways. The Samaritan woman has had five husbands and is on to her sixth - she is looking for love in all the wrong places. What are the different ways that we try to fill our thirst for love and acceptance? We can find many example, some may seem extreme and others more ordinary, yet the unfulfilled desire that underlies them is the same. Deep down, why do you think that people get involved in gangs? Why do people become throw themselves into their work as though it were more important than their family? Why do others get caught up in a cycle of broken relationships and promiscuity? Why do we become so dependent on social media that we constantly need recognition in the form of “likes” and “favorites”? Are not these behaviors attempts to fill an inner void that leaves us unsettled, a thirst for love and acceptance that goes unsatisfied. Such remedies are at best temporary.  Jesus tells us, “whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again”.  All of us try in different ways to quench our thirsting souls without success.

Jesus alone can give us the unconditional love that our heart is yearning for. The Living Waters, for which we truly long, can only come from Him.  The Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well.  In the Bible, meetings at the well have deep significance: meetings at the well are meetings of love.  A bride was found for Isaac at the well.   Jacob and Moses both met their future spouses at a well.  On the natural level, marriage is one the fullest way that we can quench our thirsting soul.  But, even with the perfect spouse and kids, it would not be enough to quiet our restless heart.  Today, at the well, the Samaritan woman meets the true bridegroom of her soul.  By cultural standards, Jesus should not have been having this encounter with a woman, and a Samaritan at that. But Jesus wants to meet the Samaritan woman’s need for love. Jesus extends an offer to her, and to each one of us: let Me quench your thirsting soul!  Anyone who drinks the water that I will give will never be thirsty again.  Jesus offers us the Living Water.  Only Jesus, the bridegroom of our soul, can truly quench our thirst for true, unconditional love.

Once we have received the Living Water from Christ, we become a spring from which others can drink.  Just as we cannot give what we don’t have, we cannot give the true water to those who need it until we first have received it from Jesus.  After Jesus has encountered the Samaritan woman and has meet her need for love and acceptance, what does she do? She goes off to tell others about what Jesus has done for her. She has a natural desire to lead other people to come and find Jesus. This gospel reminds me of a particular image that Pope Francis has been using for the Church. He explained that the Church today often needs to operate like a field hospital. Such a hospital, which operates on a field of battle, concerns itself exclusively with trying to save people from life threatening wounds. For example, a field hospital will be more concerned with a gaping wound in a patient’s side, rather than the fact that they have high cholesterol. Though the cholesterol is a health risk, in comparison to the wound, it is nothing and can be dealt with later. In the gospel, Jesus takes this approach with the Samaritan woman. Jesus acknowledges that the woman has some problems in her life - her five marriages. Yet He does not dwell there. The issue of her marriages is the equivalent of cholesterol in comparison to the wound in the Samaritan’s woman’s heart caused by her need unconditional love that only Jesus can give. Jesus seeks to satisfy this need first. Each day, we meet many wounded people, those struggling in broken relationship, dealing with addictions and maybe deep into sinful behaviors. These difficulties are important, but are secondary to their greater need for Jesus. In order to bring wounded people the unconditional love of Jesus, we have to have received it first. If this has not happened, then we cannot function as good physicians in the field hospital. Once we have received the true love that only Jesus can give, then we can give it to others.

Blaise Pascal wrote that within every soul there is an empty space, a God-shaped vacuum.  Like any vacuum, the soul tries to draw into itself anything that is close by until the space is filled.  The human body has a need for water, there can be no substitute.  The human soul needs the unconditional love that Jesus alone can give.  Today, let us come before Jesus and acknowledge how we try to quench our thirst for love, compassion and acceptance in ways that do not satisfy, and repenting, let us ask Him to quench our thirst. During this Mass, in your heart make this prayer: Jesus I thirst for you. This is such a simple prayer and very dear to God’s heart. As St. Augustine wrote, God thirsts to be thirsted for.