The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45) is a very special scripture of mine. It has so many layers of meaning. As I look at the icon of Lazarus, especially the face of Lazarus, it seems that his face could either be male or female. In other words, Lazarus is all of us. Parts of all of us are dead, not fully alive in Christ. Each of us is bound by various bands of cloth: masks, projections, sin, hatred, judgments, hardness of heart, unlistening ears, etc. Christ desires to unbind each of us more fully that we may become our true selves, fashioned in the very image and likeness of God. As the layers of an onion are peeled, so does God unbind us in loving transformation, in collaboration with our free will.
Lazarus Copyright © 2009 Meredith Schifsky, Benedictine Oblate
As the bystanders were told to help with the unbinding, we too are called to unbind, to unloose others by our words, actions, thoughts, and prayer – all done in love. We are called to be in solidarity with those bound by so much: poverty, pain, fear, loss, confusion, war, disasters, etc. We are called to be in solidarity with all who weep.Christ Jesus, grace us with your mind and heart.