Lazarus Saturday 2025

directly. Sit or stand. First, my congratulations,

but more about that later at our reception. We

began Lent with Forgiveness Sunday, asking forgiveness

of one another so that we could start the fast

with a clean conscience and a smooth path. of

understanding and acceptance of one another,

of the understanding that God's grace comes through

forgiveness, and that we are given peace when

we humble ourselves. Through all the days of

Lent, we were fasting, we were praying, we were

struggling to come to church and do all those

things. And we get to the end of Lent, and the

church... Brings us to the door of a grave. That's

what we see at the end of the 40 days. Well,

it's actually 50 when you get down to it. Because

next week is going to add some time. We come

to the door of the grave. The grave of Lazarus,

the friend of Christ. And we see this amazing

event in which Jesus has tarried. And the sisters...

Try to tell them how hurt they were. That he

waited and did not come. Because he could have

healed Lazarus if he was just sick. But he dies.

And Jesus does this amazing thing. He is not

a prophet. He doesn't say, oh God. By your power

raise this man. He does it in his own name. But

he says to his father. He says, I say these words.

so that those around me may know that you are

glorified, and the Son of Man is glorified in

this. Lazarus, come forth from the tomb. Today,

your baptism is that coming forth. You were baptized

not into the death of Lazarus. You were baptized

into the death of Christ, says St. Paul. And

Jesus, having died once, will never die again.

And a dead man does not sin. You can't sin if

you're dead. You're done with everything. But

you are alive in Christ. So, the epistle tells

us today what you should be doing. Giving hospitality.

Living righteously. Trusting in God. For now

you have a kingdom because you have died. in

Christ's death and risen in his resurrection

and been given the Holy Spirit. In fact, you've

just lived the whole history of salvation. You

went through the desert in Lent. You came to

the gates of the promised land. You became a

catechumen. You died in baptism. You rose with

Christ. You were given the day of Pentecost already.

And now you have a kingdom, says St. Paul in

Hebrews, that cannot be shaken. Remember, Christ

will sometimes delay. You will pray, and you

will ask God for something, and it won't happen.

It won't happen the way we lay it out for God

to do it. But of course, you know, our plans

are not God's plans. But you have a kingdom that

cannot be shaken. The Lord is my light and my

Savior. Whom then shall I fear? Whatever the

Lord does in your life, whatever he delays in

answering your prayer, trust in the one thing,

that he has the power to raise the dead. He that

believes in me, says Christ to Martha and Mary,

shall live and shall never die. There's more

than biological death. And now that you have

been given the life of the soul, That is your

soul united to the Holy Spirit. That is the Holy

Spirit who unites us to Christ. And that is Christ

that unites us to the Father. You have that kingdom.

It is yours, brothers and sisters. Read that

chapter from Hebrews again when you go home,

after you rest, after you come back from church,

maybe tonight even. And try to live the way St.

Paul has laid out. That's all I have to say right

now. This glorious day is a resurrectional day.

It's the day in which Christ shows his power

truly in a way that all those around him can

see. And then they start to follow him. And the

crowds will exclaim, Hosanna tomorrow. We'll

be celebrating Palm Sunday tonight and tomorrow.

in honor and in memory and also in participation

because we are also followers of Christ. No matter

what, we will not turn away from the Lord because

he will not turn away from us. He is my defender.

Of whom shall I fear? No one. To him be glory,

now and ever, to ages of ages. Amen. Let us say

with all our soul, with all our mind, let us

say, Lord have mercy. Lord Almighty, the God

of our fathers, we pray.