Sunday, April 10, 2011

How Could They Say That?

Does anyone who consistently spends time with the Gospel have any doubt that Martha and Mary both had a good understanding of who Jesus was by the time he was summoned to Lazarus' death bed? If that is so, would you or I have the courage to address him as they did? "If you'd been here on time, he wouldn't be dead." Now, that's a ton to lay on anyone, let alone the one you call Lord. It says a lot about the intimacy of the love that the two sisters have for Christ, that they could speak so openly with him.
The good news here is that you and I can have that same intimate love of the Lord.
Twelve years ago I heard this Gospel just two days after we had buried our children.
"So you raised Lazarus. What about my kids?" And with that, a close loving intimacy began to grow between us. This gospel is all about the resurrection, but part of our sharing in this new life is having this intimacy with Christ. The Mass is all about this intimacy if we take the time to let it happen. In fact, all our "prayer tools" are means to achieve this intimacy. And quiet listening is a part of it as well. Without this intimacy, I have learned, it is quite difficult to separate "my will" from "thy will." Martha and Mary had it, John had it, Peter got there as well and Paul certainly had it. It's there for us as well.

1 comment:

  1. Oh J.T. - I am forever moved by your words and your faith. God bless you and your wife. I have been praying for you as you approach ordination.

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