5th Sunday of Lent (Jn. 11:1-45)

Jesus is the most unique person to ever live. He is the divine- man. People have struggled with this doctrine of Christianity throughout the last 2,000 years.

At the time of “the enlightenment” in the 17th century many believed that intelligent people shouldn’t believe what is not scientifically possible. Because of this, certain writers tried to strip away everything from Jesus’ story that was miraculous. Thomas Jefferson, for example, wrote a version of the Gospel that removed any references to Jesus’ other worldly powers. He tried to show that Jesus was a great moral teacher but not divine. Jefferson believed Jesus was an important religious figure. He did not want his moral teaching to be lost amidst stories of other worldly power. Jefferson wanted people to imitate Jesus’ way of life not to worship Jesus as God.

The writer of John’s Gospel had a totally different point of view. He portrays Jesus as one who was undoubtedly divine. The story of the raising of Lazarus brought home that idea more than any other story in the Scriptures.

Jesus knows the miracle that is going to happen because of Lazarus’ death, before the miracle ever happens. That point is driven home repeatedly in the Gospel of John. We can see this if we just start with the fact that when Jesus is told of the death of Lazarus, he does not rush back to Bethany, but he lingers for two days. His disciples suppose that it is because Jesus fears for his life. When Jesus left Judea shortly before this episode in the Gospel happens people wanted to stone him. The Apostles believed that if Jesus went back to Judea, he will be killed. Also, they would be killed.

When Jesus decides to go back to Judea the Apostles argue with him saying, “If you go back, it will be suicide. Jesus gives a rather enigmatic response. He speaks of light and darkness as he often does in the Gospel. He asks the question, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight?” We all know that when it is daylight it is easy to see. As Jesus says, anybody can find their way in the daylight.

But what about the other twelve hours of the day when there is darkness? In the dark, people are prone to stumble. All of us have gotten up in the middle of the night because we can’t sleep. We might not turn the light on, but we try to feel our way in the dark believing we know the way around our bedroom. Sometimes we are reminded of how limited our sight is when we stub our toes in the dark. What a painful reminder of how blind we are in darkness.

Jesus says in this Gospel that he can see just as well in the darkness as he can in the light. Why? Because he has an inner light that no one else has. The inner light guides him. He knew many things about how this episode of his life was going to end up. He knew that he wouldn’t be killed. His time had not yet come. He was not on a suicide mission. He was on a teaching mission.

Jesus saw that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. We might ask why Jesus was distressed as he looked at the tomb of Lazarus if he understood what was happening. We might speculate that it was because of all the grief that he felt in those around him. He wanted to dispel this grief.

The prayer that Jesus says as he looks at the tomb of Lazarus leaves no doubt what his purpose is as he performs this, his greatest sign. “Father, I thank you for hearing me; I know that you always hear me, but because of the crowds, here, I have to say this, that they may believe that you sent me.” Jesus then cries out, “Lazarus come out.”

Why did Jesus perform this sign? So that anyone who follows him might believe in his divinity. He raised Lazarus for our sake. He wanted us to see. He wanted us to have an inner light that would dispel darkness when it overshadows us in our life.

Jesus came that we might find hope. In these difficult days when there is so much death, destruction, pessimism, evil to deal with. Jesus can be our light. He does not just give us moral guidance so we might live with virtue. No, he invites us to walk in his light, to have abundant life. He calls us out of the tomb of despair. He calls us to share in a life that will never end.