In the name of God ☩
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Jesus
is the Resurrection. He says so in his own words in this morning’s passage from
John. This passage about the raising of Lazarus is situated here, on the Fifth
Sunday in Lent, because it is the final of the seven signs performed by Jesus
in John, and the grandest. Next Sunday, we turn to Holy Week, so this event
foreshadows Jesus’ own Resurrection. This incredible event, the raising of a
dead man, also becomes the turning point for those who oppose Jesus, as this
event is what leads them to commit to the plan to put him to death. But, by
God’s grace, this Scripture passage also speaks to us in the midst of the
Coronavirus pandemic.
At
St. Luke’s, about a year ago we introduced our new identity statement that is
more of a visual than a standard mission statement. And right at the top of
that identity is the phrase “Come and See the difference Christ makes.” Well,
today, we have on full display the difference that Christ makes – that
difference is Resurrection. You can find things that might make you happy or
entertained. And if we’re really good at self-delusion, we might even think
those sorts of things are working in making us better people. But at the end of
the day, there’s one “life hack” that we haven’t figure out – how to get around
Death. As St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, “The last enemy to be destroyed is
Death.” This is where Jesus makes all the difference – he is the Resurrection.
Lazarus,
a friend of Jesus, has died and Jesus comes to his home village of Bethany to
be with Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters. After arriving, Jesus tells Martha,
“Your brother will rise again.” Consoling words, to be sure, but perhaps it
sounded like a platitude. Martha replies, “I know that he will rise again in
the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus’ comment though was no empty platitude
or merely a word of consolation intended to make Martha feel better. No, when
Jesus says “Your brother will rise again” it is a declaration uttered by none
other than the Creator of the Cosmos. And notice that Jesus doesn’t refute or
deny Martha’s response, rather, he sharpens it. Jesus says, “I am the
Resurrection.”
Even
after this declaration though, there is weeping. God’s promises to us do not
negate the fact that there is pain and suffering to still endure. Absolutely,
Jesus is the Resurrection and he will redeem all things. In his Resurrection,
that redeeming work is done, but it’s not completed – if that makes any sense. The
work of salvation is accomplished; but is not finished until Christ comes again
in glory. Since vaccines are on our minds, it’s sort of like a vaccine being
developed but still needs to be successfully administered to everyone. Yes, the
salvation has arrived, but the work isn’t over at that point. What this means
is that even though we can say that Sin and Death have been defeated, they are
not vanquished. Yes, Sin and Death are fighting a losing battle against the
love of God, but they haven’t given up the fight.
This
is why Mary still weeps at the tomb of her brother Lazarus. Even in the
presence of the Lord of life, there can be pain. Jesus himself weeps at the
grave of Lazurus, showing us that there is nothing at all wrong with having or
showing emotions. St. Augustine said of this incident, “Why did Christ weep
except to teach us to weep?” Grief is real and ought not to be ignored.
Right now, our
world is full of grief over all sorts of things. Grief, which is emotional
pain, is intended to make us pay attention, just as physical pain does. You
touch something hot and your hand burns so that you know to remove your hand
before the damage is severe. It’s the same for emotional pain. Grief tells us
that we’ve encountered something painful that can do us harm if we ignore it.
And just as we deal with physical pains with bandages, therapies, and
surgeries, we need to do the same for our emotional pains. It’s important to
grieve so that we can find healing.
Some are calling
what we’re dealing with right now “Coronagrief.” Events are being canceled,
people we know are getting sick, income is being lost, and relationships are losing
connections. The idols of our self-sufficiency and being in control have come
crashing down. The unknown in all of this is disruptive and disturbing. A lot
of what we’re dealing with is what’s known as anticipatory grief – we’re
thinking through what might happen to us if we are more directly impacted by this
virus. We are grieving what might have been. We are grieving our limits. And
though we won’t know how until we come through the other side of this, this
pandemic is going to have a 9/11 type impact on our world. Just as air travel
has never been the same since then, some aspects of our world will likely never
return to what they used to be. And that loss of normalcy is causing grief.
Given the weeping
in this Gospel passage and the reality of our world, let’s consider what grief
looks like and why it is so holy. Most people have heard of the work of
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler around the stages of grief. Though
“stages” isn’t the best way to think of them, instead they are phases that we
go in and out of, and not always in a linear path. These phases are denial,
anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance. In regards to the Coronavirus, you
can clearly see these phases at play.
Denial: We’ll
probably get this under control soon and I won’t end up getting sick.
Anger: Having to
stay at home and have stores close is pretty annoying and seems like an
overreaction. Can’t we just all wash our hands and go about life?
Bargaining: Fine,
I’ll stay home for two weeks, but then it’s back to normal by Easter.
Sadness: Lamenting
that we’ve lost control and becoming anxious and depressed by all that’s out of
control.
Acceptance: This
is our new reality, how do we stay safe and move forward in this new way of
being?
I think I’ve been
in and out of all of those phases over the past two weeks, and as a nation,
we’re going through the process as well. The important thing about these phases
is that, wherever you are, it’s okay. Yes, acceptance is a place where healing
can occur and denial is not, but what promotes healing isn’t telling people
that they aren’t dealing with a difficult situation in the right way. Instead,
consider how Jesus deals with the grief that Martha is facing. He comes alongside
her and weeps with her. If someone is angry, show them you understand. If they
are in denial, tell them how difficult this has been for you to adjust to. And
in all things, points towards the hope and power of the Resurrection.
Years after the
publication of their book, David Kessler introduced a sixth stage of grief
based on years of further research and reflection. This phase is “meaning,” and
is where grief can be transformed by hope and peace. Meaning is where we get to
the “why” question, where we embrace our limits, and shift our focus and
priorities to those things that matter the most. And meaning is where the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ makes all the difference.
What’s so profound
about this encounter with Jesus, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus is the “I AM”
statement that Jesus makes. Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection;” not “I will
give Resurrection to Lazarus” or “I will resurrect your brother.” No, Jesus
himself is Resurrection. The Resurrection is not something or someplace or some
reality that exists outside of Jesus. Rather, Resurrection is what it means to
be in Jesus because Jesus is the Resurrection. So, Resurrection is not
something that happens to us, rather it is something that we become when we are
with Jesus. Just as Jesus tells the thief who repents on the Cross, “Truly, I
tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise,” this is the promise of
Resurrection, that we will be with Jesus.
A lot of times people
ask me what happens after we die, as if somehow there’s a secret answer that
they teach you in seminary. They don’t. I don’t know what heaven looks like,
feels like, or anything of the sort. All I know is that Jesus is the
Resurrection and that, by the grace of God, we are joined to Jesus and get to
take part in his Resurrection. And this aspect of our faith is where we find
our meaning at the end of grief.
Jesus being the
Resurrection doesn’t negate pain or suffering, but instead tells us that these
things are not everlasting. What is eternal is the love of God. Jesus shows us
that God knows what it is to suffer, to grieve, to die. And all of that is
subsumed into the grace and mercy of God. This is why Jesus walks up to the
tomb of Lazarus, going through the stench of death, and with the very same
voice that Created all that is by saying “Let there be light” calls out saying,
“Lazarus, come out!” And just as the light began to shine in the darkness at
the command of God, Lazarus comes out of his death. And this makes all the
difference.
Death is not an
incurable disease. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Death is
not the end of us. As we pray in the Eucharistic Prayer at funerals, “Through
Jesus Christ our Lord; who rose victorious from the dead, and doth comfort us
with the blessed hope of everlasting life; for to thy faithful people, O Lord,
life is changed, not ended; and when our mortal body doth lie in death, there
is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens.” We are gathered
into very love of God where “Death will be no more; mourning and crying and
pain will be no more.”
In whatever griefs
you are carrying in your heart this morning – for things that were, or are, or
might be, know that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is what makes all the
difference in our grief. God knows our pains. We are not alone in our doubts, our
sins, our suffering, our grief, not even in death are we alone. Jesus is the
Resurrection and we are joined to him by the grace of God. Whatever anxiety and
pain this Coronavirus is bringing, Jesus remains the Resurrection and the life,
and that makes all the difference. If you find yourself overwhelmed in the
days ahead, repeat to yourself as a mantra – Jesus Christ is the Resurrection
and the life.
St. Julian of
Norwich knew this. As she recounts in her journal, she was praying and
struggling to understand why God would permit suffering, and this is what she
heard in reply: “And this pain, it is something for a time; for it purges us
and makes us to know ourselves and to ask for mercy. For the Passion of our
Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is his blessed will. And for the
tender love that our good Lord has to all that shall be saved, he comforts
readily and sweetly, saying thus – It is true that sin is the cause of all this
pain: but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things
shall be well.” Amen.
