Today’s Gospel reading reminded me of a theatrical performance I attended recently.  A local theatre company performed a well-known play at night in a public park.  The play consisted of several scenes, each of which was staged at a separate location on a trail in the park.  The trail was easy to follow, but the ground was rather uneven.   

One member of the audience struggled from the outset to navigate the trail.  When the cast members became alarmed, the audience member confessed that she had a neurological problem that made it difficult to walk.  Everyone survived the play, but the struggling woman had a few close calls with gravity. 

In the Gospel reading, Jesus’ disciples became frightened when he said he was returning to Judea.  He had fled that region because some of the Pharisees tried to kill him when he claimed unity with God the Father. (Jn 10:30-31) 

Jesus tried to explain to the disciples that his return to Judea was an act of faithfulness to God’s will.  He said, “If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (Jn 11:9-10)  The “day” and the “light” Jesus mentioned are metaphors for knowledge and love of God.  The “night,” by contrast, is a life separated from God by disobedience to God’s will. 

Jesus walked fully in the light of knowledge and love of God; in this miracle, he brought Lazarus into the light of renewed life, as well.  The Gospel’s description of the miracle contains some unusual language and startling imagery.  In two different places, the Gospel says that Jesus was “perturbed and deeply troubled.”  The first mention of Jesus’ deep anguish is when he found Mary crying inconsolably over the death of her brother. (Jn 11:33)  The second time is when he arrived at Lazarus’ tomb. (Jn 11:38) 

The translation of the Gospel in our Lectionary doesn’t fully describe what the Gospel author wrote about Jesus’ anguish.  The verb used by the author says that Jesus found these events to be gut-wrenching.  The verb is as much a description of Jesus’ physical state as it is a description of his emotional state. 

What was so gut-wrenching about Jesus’ experience at the house of Martha and Mary?  One might be tempted to think that he was heartbroken over the death of his friend Lazarus.  This is a compelling conjecture, but it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.  Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus from the tomb; his anguish must have been caused by something other than Lazarus’ death.   

I suggest that the gut-wrenching experience for Jesus was the lack of faith and understanding on the part of Martha and Mary.  They believed that he was capable of preventing Lazarus’ death, but they didn’t believe he was capable of reversing Lazarus’ death.  His prayer at the tomb indicates that this was what caused him anguish.  He prayed, “Father, I thank you for hearing me.  I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” (Jn 11:41-42) 

Martha and Mary had a little faith in Jesus.  The crowd had a little knowledge of him.  Sadly, none had sufficient knowledge or faith.  Very little has changed in the intervening centuries.  It is a common experience to find that one’s faith in God or knowledge of God struggles to keep pace with world events.  There is an easy remedy for this struggle. 

A typical adult’s life is filled with challenges that teach the skills necessary to meet the challenge.  Beginning a marriage, having children, and starting a career can be difficult paths to follow, but following them produces the ability to continue on the path and find happiness in one’s life.  Love and knowledge of God are learned in this same way. 

It can be a gut-wrenching experience to struggle in one’s belief, or to struggle with Catholic morals, but remaining in the struggle teaches one greater faith and strength of will. The disciples were filled with fear when Jesus mentioned a return to Judea; by comparison, Jesus was filled with hope because he knew he walked in light.  

Martha and Mary doubted that Jesus could remedy Lazarus’ death.  Apparently, Lazarus did not share their unbelief; when Jesus commanded him to come out of the tomb, Lazarus obeyed and walked into the light.  Similarly, our stumbling journey of faith is made plain to see and easy to traverse when we obey God’s Word without hesitation. 

The lesson of this Gospel story is mirrored in the penitential disciplines of Lent.  Growing in faith, love of God, and obedience to God’s will results from putting Jesus’ teachings into practice on a daily basis.  By comparison, failing to practice Jesus’ teachings doesn’t merely impede our progress on the path of faith, it causes us to stumble and fall. 

God invites us to walk in the light of righteousness and peace; each day we do so makes the path easier to follow.  This Gospel story encourages us not to imitate Martha and Mary who lacked sufficient faith and knowledge of God.  Instead, we are to imitate Lazarus who responded immediately and completely to Jesus’ command.