Eeyore

 

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:5-16 ESV).

 

We all know the story of our reading today. However, it is not Lazarus I want to draw you attention to. It is Thomas. The scene is vividly described. Here's Jesus saying incomprehensible stuff about Lazarus being asleep—no, dead—wait, what exactly do You mean, Jesus? And why are You planning to go back to Judea, where everybody wants to kill You? Thomas doesn't understand it at all, and he's as gloomy as Eeyore about Jesus' decisions—but he's still loyal: "Fine, let's go with Jesus, then. If nothing else, at least we can die with Him."

He is the first century Eeyore! Steady, sober, faithful, and sometimes gloomy. It's not the worst attitude in the world. Thomas is sticking with Jesus. And if he grumps along the way, well, that's human, isn't it? This is what my faith is like a lot of the time, and maybe that's true for all of us. It is easy to have plenty of endurance, a dogged determination to keep on with Jesus, but not much imagination. We can keep going with very little excitement and joy. It is what someone has called "daily-ness."

But that's okay. Because every so often Jesus astonishes us, as He did Thomas. Lazarus is raised from the dead, and a funeral becomes a party. Jesus Himself rises from the dead, and the first thing He says to us of little faith is "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe," He said to Thomas (John 20:27). All of us, even the gloomiest, will one day see Jesus face to face. But until we have that joy, we have His own presence with us—his Holy Spirit living in us—and our daily faith gets transformed, day after day, by His amazing love. We belong to Jesus, and there is a place for us at His side—even for earnest, unimaginative Thomas, even for you. Even for me. That’s what is at the end of Lent… celebrate with a renewal of your faith!