The Village of Mary and Martha

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ John 11:1-16

We all know of communities where there is a Martha and a Mary. One with a sense of ideas and visions and one willing to do the hard work and planning. Both who love their Lord and their tribes and families. Even in well-ordered communities, things can get very messy when a loved one dies. It throws everything and everyone off kilter. Jesus and his disciples are well known and well-loved among this village and we know Jesus will raise Lazarus. But before that happens, all the human emotions overwhelmed every person involved. From anger and fear to terror and sorrow. We know all too well how broken we can be when we have a tremendous loss or betrayal. Our world is turned upside down and we feel lost at home. To this, Jesus says, "let us go to him/her/them." At our darkest moments, in our deepest despair and sorrow, Jesus is heading to us and will bring healing for all.

Gracious Creator, who knows our sorrows

your whole being is love and compassion

and although we are created in your image

your love is not bound by human limitations.

In our losses and betrayals we often grow angry

we are lost without those whom we relied upon

we lash out and think you have abandoned us

when in truth you are moving to surround us.

Help us to trust that your hold us when in pain

you walk with us when we can only limp

you sit with us when we cannot move forward

and your love is healing us all despite ourselves. Amen.