Sunday Musings - March 26, 2023
In some Christian churches the scriptural lessons for particular sabbath days are prescribed. If one was to google or consult the lectionary for the prescribed reading for the Episcopal Church for March 26, 2023 one would be directed to three readings, one of which is from those writings referred to as the gospels. The gospel lesson for the 5th Sunday in Lent is the Gospel according to John, the 11th chapter, verses 1-45. In this writing attributed to John is the story of the student or disciple of Jesus, Lazarus, who died and was buried in the cave with a stone placed in front of the opening. When Jesus arrives at the burial place he is reminded that Lazarus has been dead several days and his corpse is going to be smelly. Yet, Jesus instructs the stone be removed. He then commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus comes out with feet and hands still bound and his face covered with cloth. Jesus commands those present to unbind him and let me go.
Those who consider themselves Christians will debate with others within and without the community of Christians whether one is to believe this story is a literal account , an allegory or a metaphor. There are many Christians and many from other religions who sincerely believe that we shall all be raised from the dead or we never die but continue to live as spirits, energy or living souls when one is done with this earthly body. Certainly, some of the scientific studies of those who are clinically dead suggest that there is something which lives and can observe a hospital room or other space following their clinical death. Scientists assert that energy is neither created or destroyed. Notwithstanding, most of us have days when we are certain that every possible ounce of our energy has done got up and went somewhere or perhaps has been used up.
Regardless of what spiritual teachers determine is literal truth, the real question is how such stories can inspire and guide us in our daily life at a time when it seems as if we humans are determined to judge each other, shoot each other, refuse to share resources such as food, clothing, housing or medical service, or rank order the worth of each other. Many believe there are those who deserve to be entombed behind a rock which is impossible to move; that there are those whose “sin” demands they should be imprisoned for life and treated worse than most of our house pests or pets. There are those whose humanness we refuse to accept or honor while having no problem accepting the fact that chickens act like chickens, cows act like cows, and snakes act like snakes.
The fact is that many of us who are technically alive are dead to our human interdependence with each other and the rest of all that is. The fact is that many of us are dead to the fact that one cannot hurt one part or piece of nature without adversely affecting the whole. The fact is that many of us are dead to the log in or own eye which prevents us from seeing the naked, the hungry, the cold, the brothers and sisters in prison, or the brothers and sisters in homeless camps. Yet, daily there are those angels who do feed the hungry, prepare a bed for the homeless, visit those in prison and perhaps leave the doors unlocked, clothe the naked, or remember that every person we determine is a throw away once was that innocent, unconditionally loving baby.
The fact is that we all have the power to say “Come out of the tomb. Come out of the darkness. Rise and proudly live.”
The fact is that we are all, at times, “Lazarus” and we all can all be raised from the dead.
Written March 26, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
In some Christian churches the scriptural lessons for particular sabbath days are prescribed. If one was to google or consult the lectionary for the prescribed reading for the Episcopal Church for March 26, 2023 one would be directed to three readings, one of which is from those writings referred to as the gospels. The gospel lesson for the 5th Sunday in Lent is the Gospel according to John, the 11th chapter, verses 1-45. In this writing attributed to John is the story of the student or disciple of Jesus, Lazarus, who died and was buried in the cave with a stone placed in front of the opening. When Jesus arrives at the burial place he is reminded that Lazarus has been dead several days and his corpse is going to be smelly. Yet, Jesus instructs the stone be removed. He then commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus comes out with feet and hands still bound and his face covered with cloth. Jesus commands those present to unbind him and let me go.
Those who consider themselves Christians will debate with others within and without the community of Christians whether one is to believe this story is a literal account , an allegory or a metaphor. There are many Christians and many from other religions who sincerely believe that we shall all be raised from the dead or we never die but continue to live as spirits, energy or living souls when one is done with this earthly body. Certainly, some of the scientific studies of those who are clinically dead suggest that there is something which lives and can observe a hospital room or other space following their clinical death. Scientists assert that energy is neither created or destroyed. Notwithstanding, most of us have days when we are certain that every possible ounce of our energy has done got up and went somewhere or perhaps has been used up.
Regardless of what spiritual teachers determine is literal truth, the real question is how such stories can inspire and guide us in our daily life at a time when it seems as if we humans are determined to judge each other, shoot each other, refuse to share resources such as food, clothing, housing or medical service, or rank order the worth of each other. Many believe there are those who deserve to be entombed behind a rock which is impossible to move; that there are those whose “sin” demands they should be imprisoned for life and treated worse than most of our house pests or pets. There are those whose humanness we refuse to accept or honor while having no problem accepting the fact that chickens act like chickens, cows act like cows, and snakes act like snakes.
The fact is that many of us who are technically alive are dead to our human interdependence with each other and the rest of all that is. The fact is that many of us are dead to the fact that one cannot hurt one part or piece of nature without adversely affecting the whole. The fact is that many of us are dead to the log in or own eye which prevents us from seeing the naked, the hungry, the cold, the brothers and sisters in prison, or the brothers and sisters in homeless camps. Yet, daily there are those angels who do feed the hungry, prepare a bed for the homeless, visit those in prison and perhaps leave the doors unlocked, clothe the naked, or remember that every person we determine is a throw away once was that innocent, unconditionally loving baby.
The fact is that we all have the power to say “Come out of the tomb. Come out of the darkness. Rise and proudly live.”
The fact is that we are all, at times, “Lazarus” and we all can all be raised from the dead.
Written March 26, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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