Let's reflect a bit more on Jesus' encounter with Lazarus. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus “groaned in spirit.” Jesus’ trouble here is the result of his identification with sinful humanity. He goes all the way to the bottom of it, letting its truth affect him. Jesus does not just love us abstractly or from a distance; no, he comes close to us. More to the point, this groaning of Jesus signals the pain that God feels at our imprisonment. If his glory is our being fully alive, his agony is our sin. How salvific it can be to listen to this groaning of the Lord at our own lack of life.
In the same vein, Jesus weeps for his friend. There is something heartbreaking about this for it is the only time in the Scripture that Jesus is described as weeping. Whatever form death takes in us—physical, psychological, spiritual—it is something deeply troubling to God.
One detail is particularly moving: Jesus asks, “Where have you laid him?” Sin alienates us from our God, making us strangers to him. Just as God in the book of Genesis looked for Adam and Eve who were hiding from him, so here God incarnate doesn’t know where his friend Lazarus is.
Then the Lord comes to the tomb. We hear that it was a cave with a stone laid across it. When things are dead, we bury them away, we hide them. When we feel spiritually dead, we lock ourselves up in the darkness of our own anxiety and egotism and fear. But there is a power, a divine power, sent into this world whose very purpose is to break through all such stones.
“Lazarus, come out!” Are there any words more beautiful and stirring in the whole New Testament? From whatever grave we are lying in, Jesus calls us out.
Lord, in these dark days of a world caught up in death and destruction, deception and lies, help me to bring Your saving goodness to all whom I meet in my daily life. Give me the courage to substitute endless hours of soul-destroying television with wholesome conversation with family and friends. Let me be a voice of calm and reason in the midst of anger; let me be Your witness to those faced with terrible choices - respect for life from its very beginning to its very end stages, the value of the family, the love and care of children, the respect for neighbour. Let me never compromise on Your teachings Lord.
Miracles of Our Lord
Water into Wine
(John 2:1-11)
Healings
(Matthew 4:23-24 & Mark 1:32-34)
Healing of a Leper
(Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-42 & Luke 5:12-13)
Healing of a Roman Centurion's Servant
(Matthew 8:5-13 & Luke 7:1-10)
Healing of Peter's mother-in-law
(Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31 & Luke 4:38-39)
Calming of the Storm at sea
(Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41 &Luke 8:22-25)
Healing of the Wild Men of Gadara
Healing of a Paralytic
(Matthew 9:1-7, Mark 2:1-12 & Luke 5:18-25)
Healing of a Woman with a Hemmorrhage
(Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-29 & Luke 8:43-48)
Raising of Jairus' Daughter
(Matthew 9:23-25, Mark 5:22-42 & Luke 8:41-56)
Healing of Two Blind Men
(Matthew 9:27-31)
Healing of a Demon-possessed Man
(Matthew 8:32-33)
Healing of a Man with a Shriveled Hand
(Matthew 12:10-13, Mark 3:1-5 & Luke 6:6-10)
Feeding of 5,000 People
(Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:12-17 & John 6:1-13)
Walking on the Sea
(Matthew 14:22-25, Mark 6:47-51 & John :6:16-21)
Healing of the Syrophoenician's Daughter
(Matthew 15:21-28 & Mark 7:24-30)
Feeding of 4,000 people
(Matthew 15:32-38 & Mark 8:1-9)
Healing of a Boy with Seizures
(Matthew 17:14-18, Mark 9:14-29 & Luke 9:37-43)
Healing of Two Blind Men at Jericho
(Matthew 20:30-34)
Healing of a Man with an Unclean Spirit
(Mark 1:23-26 & Luke 4:33-35)
Healing of a Deaf, Speechless Man
(Mark 7:31-37)
Healing of a blind Man at Bethsaida
(Mark 8:22-26)
Healing of Blind Bartimaeus
(Mark 10:46-52 & Luke 18:35-43)
A Miraculous Catch of Fish
(Luke 5:4-11 & John 21:1-11)
Raising of a Widow's Son
(Luke 7:11-15)
Healing of an Infirm Woman
(Luke 13:11-13)
Healing of a Man with Dropsy
(Luke 14:1-4)
Healing of the Ten Lepers
(Luke 17:11-19)
Healing of Malchus' Ear
(Luke 22:50-51 & John 18:3-11)
Healing of Official's Son
(John 4:46-54)
Healing of a Lame Man at Bethesda
(John 5:1-9)
Healing of a Blind Man
(John 9:1-12)
Rising of Lazarus
(John 11:38-44)
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. First Sorrow. The Prophecy of Simeon. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Second Sorrow. The Flight into Egypt. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Third Sorrow. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Fourth Sorrow. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way to Calvary. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Fifth Sorrow. The Crucifixion. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Sixth Sorrow. The Taking Down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. Seventh Sorrow. The Burial of Jesus. 1 Our Father, 7 Hail Marys. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. A VERY SMART DOCTOR........... A worried woman went to her Gynecologist and said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 yr. old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so close together.' So the doctor said: 'Ok, and what do you want me to do?' She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.' The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.' She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care of 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to kill one of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms.' The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible for you to think of killing my child!’ 'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be ok with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution.' The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point. He convinced the mom that there Is no difference in killing a child that's already been born and one that's still in the womb. The crime is the same! THE WHIPPING
There was a class of young people that no teacher was able to handle. Two
or three teachers had been run off from school this year by these young
people. Finally a young man out of college heard about the class and
applied to the school. The principal asked the young man "Do you not know
what you are asking for, no one has been able to handle these young people,
you are just asking for a terrible beating." After a few moments of silent
prayer, the young man looked at the principal and said "Sir, with your
consent I accept the challenge, just give me a trial basis."
The next morning the young man reported for class. He said to the class
"Young people, I came here today to conduct school, but I realize I can't do
it by myself, I must have your help. One big boy, they called Big Tom, in
the back of the room whispered to his buddies" I'll not need any help, I can
lick that little bird all by myself." The young teacher told the class if
they are to have school, there will have to be some rules to go by. He also
added that he will allow the students to make up the rules and he will list
them on the blackboard. One young man suggested "NO STEALING". Another one
shouted "BE ON TIME FOR CLASS." Pretty soon they had 10 rules listed on the
board. The teacher had then asked the class what the punishment should be
for breaking these rules. Rules are no good unless they are enforced.
Someone in the class suggested that if the rules were broken, they should
receive 10 licks with a rod across their back with their coat off. The
teacher thought that was pretty harsh, and asked the class would they stand
by this punishment. The class agreed.
Everything went pretty good for two or three days. Finally Big Tom came in
one day very upset. He reported that someone had stolen his lunch. After
talking with the students they came to the conclusion that Little Jim had
stolen Big Tom's lunch. The teacher called Little Jim up to the front of
the room and asked him to remove his coat. That little fellow came up the
aisle with a great big coat on. Little Jim approached the teacher and said
" I am guilty and am willing to take my punishment but please don't make me
take off my coat." The teacher reminded Little Jim of the rules and their
punishments and asked him again to remove his coat and take his punishment
like a man. That little fellow started to unbutton that old coat, and the
teacher saw that he did not have a shirt on under the coat. The teacher
asked Little Jim why he came to school without a shirt on. Little Jim said
"My daddy's dead and my mother is very poor, I don't have but one shirt and
my mother is washing it today. I wore big brother's coat to keep my little
body warm."
That young teacher stood and looked at the frail back and wondered how he
could lay a rod on that little back without even a shirt on. He knew if he
didn't enforce the punishment, the children would not obey the rules, so as
he drew back to strike Little Jim, Big Tom came down the aisle. Big Tom
asked "Can I take Little Jim's whipping for him" The teacher agreed and Big
Tom ripped his coat off and stooped over and the teacher began to lay the
rod on that big back. But for some strange reason after only five licks,
that old rod just broke in half. The young teacher buried his face in his
hands and began to sob. He heard a commotion and looked up to find not even
one dry eye in the room. Little Jim had run and grabbed Big Tom around the
neck, apologizing to him for stealing his lunch, and explained that he was
so very hungry. Little Jim begged Big Tom to forgive him. He told Big Tom
that he would love him till the day he died for taking his whipping for him.
Aren't you glad that Jesus took our whipping for us, that He shed his
precious blood on Calvary so that we can have eternal life in Glory with
Him? We are unworthy of the price He paid for us, but aren't you glad He
loves us that much?
-- Author Unknown Risking
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To reach out to another is to risk involvement
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk
their loss
To live is to risk dying
To try is to risk failure
But the risk must be taken, because the greater hazard in life is to
risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, does nothing and is nothing
He may avoid suffering, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow,
live
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave
Only a person who risks is free
Take a risk
"If you don't take great risks for God, you will never do anything
great for Him" (St. Louis-Marie de Montfort)
from a book written by Paul Hayden
February 29You are on the right path, listen more to Me, and less to your doubts. I am leading you along the way I designed just for you. Therefore, it is a lonely way, humanly speaking. But, I go before you as well as alongside you, so you are never alone. Do not expect anyone to understand fully My ways with you, any more than you can comprehend My dealings with others. I am revealing to you the path of Life day by day, and moment by moment. As I said to My disciple Peter, so I repeat to you: FOLLOW ME. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. —Psalm 119:105 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me." —John 21:22 |
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