Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent
March 13, 2005

"Oh my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them... and I will put my spirit in you that you might live..." (Ezekiel 37:12-14). "Lazarus, come out..." (John 11:1-45). "... You are not in the flesh... you are in the spirit..." (Romans 8:8-11).

These passages taken together almost comprise a "little Easter", focusing us on our present and future destiny: restoration to life in the spirit. The prophet has a vision of the dead rising from their graves. Jesus brings a dead friend back to life, preparing Lazarus, his family and us for our final resurrection.

Lazarus is called forth from the tomb as all of us will be. And we don't even have to wait until our physical death. Rebirth in the Spirit is occurring whenever we choose life over death, love over selfishness, trusting in the divine process instead of trying to control it. Lazarus' sisters, Martha and Mary, are gradually brought around to comprehend this meaning of resurrection. His words at the end of the story "untie him and let him go" could be understood as a metaphor for this mystical and spiritual process. As usual, there is more than meets the eye behind these stunning deeds of Jesus.

Sandwiched between these two striking images of resurrection is St. Paul contrasting life in the flesh and in the spirit. His definition of "flesh" has often been (mis)understood to refer to the physical body, in opposition to the "spirit". It also can also refer to something like "fearful, self-centered ego, looking out for number one". The goal of the spiritual life is to gradually allow the spirit to be reborn within us. The flesh is not to be eliminated -- that would be impossible even if it were desirable -- but to be allowed to be guided by the Spirit for building up the earthly community. When we resist this, we continue to live "in the flesh".

I was thinking about the decline of my own physical strength and what it feels like to be in this body which feels everything but cannot move. As I did, I realized that very seldom, if ever, does it seem like a burden. Ironically, I feel lighter than I ever did in my more athletic days when I thought I had to work so hard to stay fit. Even if we were spared the immediate ravages of earthly life, we all (even Lazarus) die sooner or later. This seems to be the limitation associated with placing too much emphasis on praying for miraculous physical cures. It can distract us from the real goal of spiritual rebirth. The Most High loves us as deeply and emotionally as Jesus loved Lazarus. We are daily being called forth from the tomb of death to new life in the Spirit.