I
wonder how many of us are feeling like the church is, like Lazarus, dead. Sealed doors, stones covering the
entrances. We are locked out of our
places of worship. Our places that bring
our community together, to pray, to sing, to learn, to grow.
I wonder
how many of us feel a little dead.
Trapped in our own tombs, as comfortable as they might be. Unable to go to the places we want to go and
do the things we want to do.
I
wonder how many of us think the church is lost, unable to do and be what the
church is and does. Especially in this
time when the world is in desperate need for God.
It’s
easy to feel trapped. To feel locked
in…and out…away from what gives us life.
Lazarus
was dead. In the tomb for four
days. Not three or five, but four. It was believed the soul would linger near
the body for three days and that on the fourth, the soul would have left this
realm and the person, the body, would not only begin to smell, it would be
dead. As a doornail.
We
might feel a bit like Lazarus. Nailed in
our stay-at-home-ordered coffins.
Dead. Forgetting to shower and
get dressed each day. Sitting glazed
eyed in front of the television, where we don’t hear much about what is going
well during this pandemic. Rather,
hearing of the numbers of diagnosed, sick and dead people around the world.
It’s
easy to let that kind of news put extra nails in those coffins.
It’s
easy to think that the places we find refreshment and hope are a distant memory
when we cannot go into them to pray, sing, learn, commune and share our lives
with one another. It is easy to mourn
the loss, this feeling of death, for our beloved church.
Jesus
waited until Lazarus was dead four days, that point of no return, to come back
to Bethany and be with Martha and Mary and all the others mourning the death of
Lazarus. Jesus came, to show them, and
maybe us, that there will be resurrection, a return from the dead, that will
demand us to change, transform and transition into new creations.
Lazarus! Come OUT!
Christians,
people of all faith: Come OUT!
None
of us must remain locked in the tomb. At
least not figuratively. We might need to
remain in the safety of our homes, for now, but, in so many ways, we are called
to Come OUT!
Our
church buildings are closed. But church
is not closed. You and I are the church
and we are being called to come out from our beloved buildings to learn how to
be the church in new and courageous ways.
I am
so thankful for all of you who are making phone calls to your friends at
church. Checking in, making sure no one
feels alone, ensuring each has what they need to get by for a few days. Praying together. Showering one another with the love you have
for one another. That is being the
church.
You
are showing up for worship, willing to come together in virtual ways. Open to trying new ways to hear the Word of
God and to grow. To pray together from
the list found in our daily emails. To
listen to a book and reflect on what you hear.
To pray Prayers During Pandemic from my blog. We are still worshiping and hearing and
growing in knowledge and love of God.
We
are!
And
yet, we need to look at another part of what Lazarus’ death caused. What we might also be feeling and afraid to
admit or even talk about.
Martha
and Mary were angry and hurt when Jesus did not come right away to prevent
their beloved brother from dying.
Surrounded by other mourners, they struggled through stages of
grief. And when Jesus finally showed up,
they were able to release the words and emotions they had been holding deep
inside themselves. To release them AT
him.
Many
of us are like Martha and Mary. We are
angry and hurt. We are also confused and
worried. We are experiencing losses and
grief for things that are not tangible and for people we cannot be physically
near. And I bet many of us are waiting
for the perfect time to release the words and emotions we are holding inside AT
God.
If you
haven’t released those words AT God, I encourage you to do it. God can take it. I bet God will weep with you, like Jesus wept
with Mary and Martha.
But
God will also call to us, to each of us, to Come OUT, to get up and do the work
of the church. The work of the people of
faith that we are.
Jesus
set that expectation with the people who were watching as Lazarus came out from
that tomb. He sent them to unbind him…to
remove the cloth of death.
We,
too, are called to unbind that cloth of death.
We are called to find underneath it, LIFE.
Life!
That’s
the Good News, dear ones. There is life
to live, faith to express, people to love, and there is hope. Jesus is calling us to Come OUT from our
fear, worry, grief and loss … and live.
Amen.