JOHN 11: 19-27 / LUKE 10:38-42 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JULY 29, 2020)
Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary, after the death of their brother, to comfort them. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained sitting in the house.
Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again. “ Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, on the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”
POINTS OF REFLECTION
Historically speaking, upon learning what had happened to Lazarus and considering the evil plan of the Pharisees, Jesus decided to stay one more day before visiting the house of Martha, Maria and Lazarus. On His coming, He was informed that Lazarus had passed away for almost three days. And that Martha met Him and said “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
On this occasion my dear Brothers and Sisters, the event highlighted to us that God’s perfect timing is not man’s perfect timing. If only Jesus had just come according to the time Maria and Martha wanted Him to come, then He could have healed Lazarus sickness without the need of experiencing death. As a consequence, Jesus could not have done the miracle of bringing Lazarus to life to glorify the Father and further His kingdom to those who came to console Maria and Martha. As Christians, we could not have understood that in so much grieving ( as felt by Maria and Martha upon the loss of Lazarus) only Jesus has the power to appease us because on the final day all will live with him in heaven.
When Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, on the last day.” This line reminded us to have a hope of faith like Martha in this life so that we can share Jesus’ act of resurrection on the last day. This is amazingly great my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
And in the scene that Jesus cried upon the death of Lazarus, His crying is not only to Lazarus but to all of us alive in blood and flesh but dead in spirit. As Jesus willingly brings back Lazarus to life, He is very much willing for all of us to be alive in spirit as He had done to Lazarus some two thousand years ago.
Brothers and Sisters, God’s love is truly amazing. It has impacted our lives not in our timing but in His perfect timing. To God be the Glory. Amen.
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Doctor in Development Education ( Dev. Ed. D.), an all time educator as School Head and HEI Instructor.
