Rise Up

I am going to try and summarize today's long but powerful Gospel. 

Word was sent to Jesus that his friend Lazarus had died. 

Lazarus's sisters Martha & Mary were certain their brother would not have died if Jesus had come sooner. 

Jesus told them Lazarus would rise. 

But they did not understand Jesus. 

Jesus went to the tomb where Lazarus had been buried for four days. 

He wept. 

Then He prayed.

Though warned of the stench, the stone was commanded to be taken away.

To his beloved friend he spoke, "Lazarus, Come Out!"

The dead man came forth and was set free. 

Many began to believe in Him. 

Obviously, that was a very brief summary... I encourage you to read the Gospel of John 11:1-45.  

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/032920.cfm?fbclid=IwAR2aPt1D8ZGRJyLtn0UMJhQICZRwtsYdU_LYe_vHP2EDb_xYC3jYSRkTn_s

We are in a time of weakness and a time of darkness. 

Our spirits are not what they should be.

We do not understand the craziness around us. 

What is the meaning in all of this? 

“God takes us into wildernesses not to abandon us - but to be alone with us? 

Wildernesses are not where God takes us to hurt us - but where He speaks to our hearts. Wildernesses can be safe because we are always safe when we are always with Him.” 

― Ann Voskamp, The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life

This Pandemic is our wilderness. 

The unknown is our wilderness. 

Trust and keep trusting.

“There is no fear in letting tears come. Sadness is a gift to avoid the nothingness of numbness, and all the hard places need water. Grief is a gift, and after a rain of tears, there is always more of you than before. Rain always brings growth.” 
― Ann Voskamp, The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life

In John's Gospel, Jesus wept. 

It's okay to cry! These are hard times. Whether you are alone, with your family, extraverted or introverted... We were not made to be alone! 

But after He wept, he then prayed. 

We are called to pray but especially during this time of much needed prayer. 

"Though the body of the widow of Naim's son was being carried out for burial (cf. Lk 7:12), and the body of the dead Lazarus was already decaying in the grave (cf. Jn 11:39), our Lord still called them both to rise from the dead. Have hope and humbly repent of your sins; the Lord will also raise you up." 

Francis Xavier Nguyen Thuan