From Tragedy to Triumph

 

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this ion account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 ESV).

 

Crime and Punishment is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s famous novel about a poor young man, Raskolnikov, who comes up with a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her cash. The murder that he commits pushes him into a profound personal crisis and anguish. This classic novel follows the main character as he journeys through the steps on his long road to confession and repentance. This turn in his life comes as a result of hearing the story of Lazarus. Raskolnikov’s new friend Sonya reads John 11 to him, with unusual power and authority in her voice. It was once a novel required to be read in many classrooms throughout our secondary school system. What strikes me most in this novel was how Dostoevsky masterfully interwove much of John 11 into his narrative. As I have studied his own personal story, it seems clear that such a powerful testimony to Jesus as our only hope in the face of death and despair was his primary intent. Jesus enters the most hopeless situation and in a miraculous way fills it with hope. He turns tragedy into triumph, and death into resurrection.

 

In our reading today we see the prayer of Jesus after this great miracle as he addresses God as his personal Father. We know that the Father and the Son are part of the holy Trinity. It’s no wonder that Jesus expresses his thanksgiving and full commitment to his Father’s will. As followers of Jesus, we have the privilege of praying to God our Father, who always hears and loves us and who gives us the sure hope of resurrection. It is a truth we should all remember during this season of gratitude. God has done so much in our lives, most of all the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. And, isn’t that the most magnanimous gift we could ever receive? That’s worth our deepest gratitude!