成人快手

A reflection and prayer to start the day with Dr Geraldine Smyth OP.

Good Morning. Let鈥檚 talk of graves, worms, epitaphs...鈥� Richard II鈥檚 words (as Shakespeare has it) may be an inept choice on turning to consider the story of Lazarus in John鈥檚 Gospel But the detail here is almost as realistic.. The story pof the raising from the dead of Lazarus is found in the Gospel of John, Offstage for much his story, Lazarus鈥檚 sisters Mary and Martha send word to Jesus 鈥� 鈥淭he one you love is ill.鈥� Jesus 鈥撯€� had gone to the far side of the Jordan. His disciples terrified at the malign forces encircling him, arguing against return to Jerusalem but Jesus does return

Jesus talks with the distraught Martha, highlighting her faith in the resurrection of the dead, and in Jesus as the 鈥渢he resurrection and the life.鈥� Martha gets it and strengthens Jesus鈥檚 faith in face of his coming ordeal perhaps more than she is strengthening hers. A t the tomb, Jesus disturbed in spirit, sheds tears of love, engagies the naysayers, and has the stone removed, He cries out, 鈥淟azarus, come forth!鈥� 鈥揂nd Lazarus emerges, bound in grave-cloths. And Jesus draws in others - 鈥淯nbind him, and let him go.鈥� Lazarus cannot unbind himself. Nor can we. But whatever our community of faith or life, today, I can ask from what and to what am I being called forth? Whom am I being asked to unbind and let go? Who are the ones we are being asked to unbind and set free?

This week marks the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society 鈥� the first of its kind to campaign against slavery so today we remember all who are enslaved that they may find liberty. Amen.