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Connections&
March 17, 2002--Fifth Sunday of Lent
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face wrapped in a cloth. "Untie him and let him go." John 11:1-45
Our little boxes
We see a bulletin announcement asking for volunteers for a the food shelf or clothing drive. That group does so many good things for the poor and needy and we know it would be a wonderful experience to be a part of it. But we are afraid we might become too committed, afraid of actually meeting and getting to know poor people (like we might somehow "catch" their poverty!) afraid of the surprised reactions of friends to our sudden "do-good-ism." So we stay in our own comfortable little box.
Someone we know has been diagnosed with a serious illness, or they have lost a job, or their son or daughter has gotten into major trouble. We'd like to call, we'd like to offer to help. But we don't really know how. We don't know what to say or do or offer. Besides, we reason, there are people a lot closer to them who can help better than we can. Better for everyone that we stay in our safe little box.
The promotion is within sight. The raise is almost ours. Nobody and nothing will stand in our way. If it means so many nights and weekends away from the family, no problem; compromise a few scruples, so be it; swallow some minor injustices, that's to be expected. After all, everybody wants a bigger and better box.
CONNECTION: Quite often the "boxes" we create for our protection, our comfort, our safety can become "tombs" in which our hope, our need to love and be loved, our dreams of forgiveness and reconciliation disintegrate and die. Everyone of us is wrapped up in some obsession, some distraction, some behavior that prevents us from being the kind of spouse, parent, child or friend that we want to be. The Christ who calls Lazarus from his tomb calls us from our "boxes" to live life to the fullest, to bring the love of God into our hurting and entombed world. As Jesus called Lazarus to life, may we hear that same call to life--to free ourselves from the expectations, the competition and the cravings that bind us up, preventing us from knowing God in the love of others and the love we offer. u
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