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The Light of the World
Friday
Today in a festive spirit we assemble for Mass at the church of St. Eusebius. We are among
the tombs where the ancient Romans used to bury their dead. In our midst is Christ, who
is the Author of life, and who raises the dead to life. We offer Him our congratulations
in the Introit of the Mass. “The meditation of my heart is always in Thy sight, O Lord,
my helper and my Redeemer.” Thou hast raised me from the death of sin, and on the last
day Thou wilt raise me again to eternal life. “The heavens show forth the glory of God,
and the firmament declareth the work of Thy hands,” the miracles of the raising of the
dead to life (Introit).
The raising of Lazarus to life was one of the most important miracles Christ performed during
His lifetime. We are astonished at it. But St. Augustine teaches us:
If we are astonished at Him who worked this miracle, still we should rather rejoice
than be amazed. He who brought the dead man back to life is the same who created
him, the Son of the Father. What miracle is that if one should be restored to life by Him
through whom so many daily are called into life? If He wished, could He not in an instant
raise all the dead? But He has reserved this event for the end of the world. The hour will
come in which all shall hear His voice, as the dead Lazarus once heard it, and will come
forth from their graves ( Jn 5:28). Through the miracle performed for Lazarus we should
also be prepared for the great mystery of the general resurrection, so that we will rise to
life and not to death.
Jesus is the one who raises the dead to life. What He does for Lazarus, He does for all of us
spiritually in baptism and in the sacrament of penance. In Holy Communion He plants in our
bodies the germ of a future resurrection so that the poor body may also live eternally and enjoy
the happiness of heaven. “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, although
he be dead, shall live” ( Jn 11:25).
Jesus restores life to those who are spiritually dead. When Jesus saw the sister of Lazarus
weeping, He was deeply moved and said, “Where have you laid him? They say to Him: Lord,
come and see. And Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said: Behold how He loved him” (Gospel).
Why did the Lord weep, and why was He troubled? The liturgy shows us the meaning of this
figure, through the mouth of St. Augustine:
The dead man, who lay in the tomb already four days, is a figure of the sinner, whom the
burden of sins weighs down. Thus he gives an indication how you, too, should be troubled when
a grievous sin weighs you down. If you acknowledge your guilt, if you say: I have done this evil
thing, and God has had mercy on me; I transgressed, and God has spared me; I am baptized,
and yet have fallen again into sin; where should I begin? Where should I go? Where can I flee?
If you confess contritely, then the Savior weeps with you in sympathy.
“Where have you laid him?” He knows all things. Why then, does He ask? He asks
in order to teach us that, when we have sinned, we are strangers. Sin has so disfigured us
that He no longer recognizes us. We are cast off as a rotting, decaying corpse. “Come and
see.” He sees the misery of our sins and weeps over us. “Be hold how He loved him.” Then
Christ draws near to the sinner with the sacrament of baptism, or with the sacrament of
penance, and commands with authority, “Come forth.” Break with death; leave behind all
sin and corruption. “Come forth” to live the life of grace, the life of a child of God. Thus a
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