April 2, 2017

5th Sunday of Lent A Ezekiel 37: 12-14; Romans 8: 8-11; John 11: 1-45 It is quite possible that each person reading this blog has at some time faced the mystery of death and dying. It is never comfortable. If the person has suffered, it is a blessing but their death is still a loss for us. If the person died suddenly, there is so much to cope with, so many words that were left unsaid. Then we approach the question of what faces us after death. We want God to be a loving God, but we are afraid. So many memories of our past life haunt us and make us feel that we might be the ones that could possibly get 'shut out' of heaven. As I review the deaths of people close to me what has helped me so much is the presence of special people who just sat with me and helped me and hugged me. I felt important and deeply touched by love. I try to do the same in my ministry with those who face death. There are so many beautiful passages on death and books devoted to this. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's masterpiece 'On Death and Dying' has helped me tremendously. The description on the back of the book says it all: "One of the most important psychological studies of the late twentieth century, On Death and Dying grew out of Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's famous interdisciplinary seminar on death, life, and transition. In this remarkable book, Dr. Kubler-Ross first explored the now-famous five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Through sample interviews and conversations, she gives the reader a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve that patient, and the patient's family, bringing hope to all who are involved." Another book I have read many times and I like to give people who are facing terminal cancer is Cardinal Joseph Bernadin's book, The Gift of Peace: Personal Reflections. The Cardinal shares his tremendous trust in the Lord that results in a beautiful inner peace. In the last two months of his life he was stricken with pancreatic cancer and it returned. It is a beautiful story where he shares this inner peace that he said was a gift from God and he shares his story openly and honestly. He felt peace and he shares it. This has benefitted so many, myself included. Coming back to the Gospel and the story of the death of Jesus' close friend Lazarus another 'historic work' comes to mind that has helped me in looking at death and it's meaning. It comes from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. Two years before he wrote this, Dostoyevsky 's wife and brother had died. He had loads of debt and was close to being sent to debtor's prison. Some how he managed to get an advance on what has turned out to be a classic piece of literature. He tells of a student who felt that he was a 'nothing' and struggled with good and evil. Thinking he was above the law he brutally murders an old woman whom he regarded as a 'good for nothing'. Overwhelmed by tremendous guilt and fear he confesses his crime and goes to prison. There he realizes that happiness and redemption can only come through suffering and religion. Before he goes to prison, Rodin meets Sonya, a prostitute who works the street to support her family. He feels that Sonya has no hope to ever 'leave the streets'. She disagrees and eventually shares her secret which she found in the story of the raising of Lazarus. And she reads this story to Rodin from the Bible given her by the woman Rodin had murdered. Sonya shares how Lazarus' story gives her hope that one day she will "come out" of her horrible life. Rodin totally disagrees but while in prison he takes the same book of the gospels and reads the story of Lazarus. He sees in it hope: hope for his own return to the world, hope for Sonya who loves him and hope in his chance to be "resurrected." This is the point of the Gospel. There is always hope. God can bring all back to life no matter what. It's not that Lazarus lived a bad life or a good life, it's about God and His love and care for each of His creatures. It also shows how God is with us in our pain and our loss. Jesus cried over the death of His friend Lazarus, it is recorded in the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11: 35, "Jesus wept." Now at the time of Jesus the common belief was that there was life after death. However the Sadducees did not believe this. They were a powerful group who were opponents of John the Baptist and Jesus and the early Christians. They held that there is no resurrection, nor angels or spirits. It is interesting that they totally disagreed with the Pharisees yet agreeing that Jesus was a problem that had to be eliminated was what united these two groups. What is the message for us ... Jesus stated it perfectly, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me with never die." And then He adds this question to Martha, "Do you believe this? She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.'" Martha says it, yet does she understand its deeper meaning? Do we understand the deeper meaning? Martha finds that her sister Mary has almost the same conversation with Jesus...noting that if Jesus had come earlier, Lazarus would not have died. And Jesus response to all this is that He wept. Most writers and commentators say that Jesus wept because He lost His close friend. BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Lazarus had died. Jesus knows He can raise Lazarus up, so that is not the issue at hand. The real issue is that Mary and Martha and the others present do not understand who Jesus really is and what He came to tell us and show us. God loves us. God wants each of us to be in heaven with Him. Jesus is the one came to 'set us free.' Jesus is the one who came to tell us death is not the end. Jesus is the one who came to tell us that He will raise each of us up if we follow His teachings and believe. Jesus came to tell us that it is all about God's love and EACH person forever being in heaven and being absorbed in God's love. There will be no more pain and dying...there will be no more wondering or doubt. There will be no more searching or going astray. There will be the discovery of what life is all about: Life With God Forever. Lazarus comes from the tomb totally wrapped up in the burial cloths. Jesus says, "Lazarus come out." He does and then Jesus says, "Untie him and let him go." Think about it...why does Jesus add these last words, 'let him go'. What ties us up in this world? What keeps us bound to this world? What wants us to stay in this world and not want to go to the LOVE WORLD of Heaven prepared for each of us forever? What binds us are our addictions, our false values, that media want's to sell us. What the world wants is to buy us into their concept of success. We live the good life, but it blinds us to eternal life. All those bound by hunger and loneliness need to be untied. All the homeless and poor need release as much as Lazarus ever did. For years we have been praying for those who are held bound and we pray for their freedoms. The freedom to know the richness of what faith and hope are all about: LOVE, the love of God. So I reflect on: ~ What darkness or sin keeps me from the love and life that God promises me? ~ Have I ever fled, dead in spirit and been called to new life by the Lord? Was the setting a retreat...the Eucharist...reconciliation...spiritual direction? ~. What are the things that still keep me bound and hinder me from discovering the love of God in me and in my midst? ~ Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus came to the tomb. Do you think it matters how long I have sinned when it comes to Jesus welcoming me into His heart? ~ Do pride or shame ever get in my way of my relationship with Jesus. Do I ever think that I am so sinful that Jesus could not possibly want me in heaven? Sacred Space 2017 helps me: "I hear you asking me the same question, Lord: 'Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life?' In the long run, nothing is more important than my answer to this. I cannot grasp Your words in my imagination, Lord, but I believe. Help my unbelief. 'Unbind him, and let him go.' Even a man resurrected from the dead needed the help of community. Show me, Lord, how I can participate in others' unwinding and freedom.