FREEING LAZARUS

The gospel for Sunday, March 22 is the well-known story of the raising of Lazarus. 

One traditional way of meditating on a gospel passage is to place yourself in the scene and imagine yourself as each of the various characters.

Yesterday, our deacon, brother Bruno, preached a sermon using this technique. I was particularly touched by his suggestion that we put ourselves in a place of the bystanders to whom Jesus said “untie him and let him go.“ (Jn 11:44).

Here is Lazarus, who has just come out of the tomb bound in the funeral wrappings of a corpse. Jesus tells the people around him to “untie him and set him free.”

This verse sets up a powerful reflection for each of us: Who are the people in my life that the Lord is asking me to “set free?” Just how am I to set each of them free? Is it by my words? By certain acts of  kindness or compassion? Or maybe just by being present to them?

I think that from now on whenever I hear this gospel, I will automatically start asking myself, “Who does the Lord need me to untie and set free the way those bystanders did for Lazarus in the gospel?“

May the Lord grant each of us a blessed Passiontide, as well as the eyes to see people around us who may need to be set free.