Each year during the second Sunday of Lent we hear the gospel of the Transfiguration, this year from the Gospel of Mark. In it, the Church asks us at the beginning of the Lenten Season to experience, like the first Apostles, “a taste of te Jesus’ Glory” before we continue our long Lenten journey. Perhaps it is a sort of a “booster shot” as we enter into a period of repentance, of prayer, and almsgiving to call us closer to the ways of Christ.

Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, OFM from the Holy Land challenges us to listen to the last words of this gospel: As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

We all hear at Church and in other conversations that God sent His only Son into the world to save humanity and to offer us Eternal Life; that after our mortal bodies are raised from the dead, God will reunite them with our immortal souls and make us like Christ in glory. But what does that mean? And how do we consider that great promise and how does that promise impact our lives
in this world?

Lent is a great time to reflect on the Words of Christ and the promise of God, and what our role is in making it come true. Are we powerless or powerful in this regard? Perhaps next to Christ, the next most famous or well-known person raised from the dead is Lazarus. The gospel of John said that, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” Evidently, Jesus had a close
relationship with their family. That’s pretty amazing; given the fact that Mary was labeled a great sinner (she used the expensive oil to anoint Jesus’ feet) by the Pharisees, and probably was not part of the main stream Jewish community. Christ chose this “great sinner” who lived on the fringes of society, to be close friends with, and included Mary’s sister Martha, and their brother
Lazarus. This was not a superficial relationship. Jesus’ friendship with this family should give us all hope that we do not have to be perfect, or without any sin, in order to enter into a deep friendship with Christ. Our past does not matter to Jesus, but our hearts do. If we have turned
from the things of the past and seek Jesus, we too, can enter into a deep and personal relationship with him. We see this often in the gospel, the relationship between Jesus’ humanity and divinity is also about relationships and doing what is best for the other, even if it seems stern
or difficult or even unloving by our modern standard. Christ is concerned about our Eternal Life, not just that we are happy day-to-day.

The gospel says that Jesus was perturbed when he arrived at Lazarus’s tomb. He didn’t hesitate though. Jesus told them to take the stone away. Jesus never even had to touch Lazarus in order to raise him from the dead. But, did you notice that the very first thing Jesus did, was to pray to his Father? Jesus did this many times in the gospels before a major miracle, a simple meal, or before he made an important decision like choosing the twelve apostles, or before he accepted his suffering and death during the agony in the garden. Prayer was such an integral part of his life. So many times we charge off and do whatever we feel like is right, without ever even consulting God. Jesus always sought his Father’s help, support, and guidance and we should too, before we make any major decision in our lives.

The miracle Jesus performed in raising Lazarus from the dead was not just for the benefit of Mary and Martha though. Jesus’ miracles were for the whole community to know that he really was the son of the living God, and that God’s true presence was among them. The gospel said that after this miracle, many of the Jews who had come to be with Mary and Martha, and had
seen Jesus perform this miracle, came to believe that Jesus truly was the son of God. Can you even begin to imagine what it must have been like to see Lazarus walk out of his tomb? If Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead, and conquer his own death when he rose from the grave on
Easter morning, there is no doubt that Jesus will raise us from the dead one day as well. He has power over life and death. Death is but a doorway into eternal life. We need not fear the other side. Jesus is waiting for us there. He proved to all of us that there is life after death, by bringing
Lazarus back from the dead and by rising from his own grave on Easter morning. This is the Good News that all of mankind longs to hear. Death does not have the final say. Jesus Christ does.

This Lenten Season let us build our own road maps for this journey into a deeper faith by beginning with prayer—seeking God’s help and guidance, asking for His strength and power, and counting on His heavenly counsel. Let us not forget that if we ask the Father for anything with a sincere heart, He shall not ignore us but will answer our needs. We are not alone, we have a partner on this trip to Eternal Life and God desires us to join Him. Let us be like Jesus and pray (have a conversation with God) and listen to His Words. The doorway to Eternal Life is always open, the question we must answer is if our hearts our open to Him. Today Mark gives us all a glimpse into the Glory of Christ so that we are nourished and encourage to follow more closely His Ways—beginning today in Lent. Sourced in part: A Catholic Moment: Raising Lazarus from the Dead, Laura Kazlas, 2014.