Unbind One Another

The story of Lazarus invites all of us to resurrection in the here and now! Jesus calls us out of the tomb and into the fullness of life, to experience the consolation of God’s love and peace today, not somewhere far off in the future. It is often easier to remain in the tomb, but Jesus wants more for us and says, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ To the people Jesus demands, ‘Unbind him, let him go’, and then, ‘They took away the stone.’ In this story of liberation we are given a new insight into the power of faith and love. This is a message for us all to turn away from a culture of death, to help unbind one another and to allow ourselves and others to emerge into the light. To be saved in this sense is to be made well, to experience restoration. In the global sense, it means acknowledging that ‘Injustice is not invincible’ (Laudato Si’, 74). At the heart of this story is the fact that love can conquer all, even death and despair. We can all share in this risen life, in love and peace, today. Jesus comes so that we may live life to the full (John 10:10).

Tríona Doherty and Jane Mellett, The Deep End: A Journey with the Sunday Gospels in the Year of Matthew