The Power of God’s Word
“Lazarus, come out!”
At the sound of Jesus’ voice, the dead man comes back to life. The incredible miracle in today’s Gospel is a sign of even greater miracles that take place by the power of Jesus’ word.
“This is my Body, given for you.” “This is my Blood, which will be shed for you.” Every Mass is a miracle that takes place by the power of Jesus’ word. He speaks, and it happens.
“Your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus says it and we believe.
It is possible to look at any of these miracles with cynicism and doubt. The bread and wine do not look and taste any different after the Consecration at Mass than they looked when we brought them forward at the Offertory. But after the Consecration, we kneel in worship, receive with devotion, and acknowledge the Presence of God in the Eucharist.
It is possible to walk out of the Confessional still feeling heavy and burdened. We may have many of the same struggles to face. But whether we feel consoled or not, we have the absolute assurance of Christ’s forgiveness, because he is faithful to His word. On Easter day, Jesus appeared to the apostles, breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.” Our faith does not end with appearances, but with the realities God calls into existence by His Word.
It would be possible for the neighbors mourning with Martha and Mary to think, “Maybe Lazarus wasn’t really dead…he just seemed to be…we can’t believe our eyes.” Jesus didn’t come for the crowd. He came for Martha. He came for Mary. He came for Lazarus. He came for you.
Martha and Mary each pour out their grief before Jesus with the same words. “Lord, if you had been here, our brother would not have died.” Jesus invites Martha to faith precisely in this moment of grief and pain. Standing together in the presence of the dead body of her brother, Jesus asks Martha, “I am the Resurrection and the Life – do you believe this?” Martha looks through her tears and grief into the very eyes of Jesus and says, “Yes, Lord, I believe.”
Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life then weeps with Mary, and the crowd says, “See how much Jesus loved him.” The crowd has no idea how much Jesus loves Lazarus – and each one of them. He not only weeps at the death of his friend, but by his word calls Lazarus back to this mortal life. What a miracle in itself.
But even this is not the end. Jesus will lay down his own life to bring Lazarus and each of us to share the very life of God.
We can look at the Crucifix with cynical eyes. Or we can dismiss it as a decoration. But we can also look to the Crucified One with the eyes of faith, and allow his word to have its effect in us. If the dead man, Lazarus, could arise at the word of Jesus, why do we doubt the power of His Word spoken to us?
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” “It is finished.”
Fr. Tom
