AUDIO MEDITATION:

Henry Ossawa Tanner (American, 1859-1937), The Resurrection of Lazarus. Public domain.

FULL TEXT:

In this Gospel, Jesus says, “If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”

We think of tombs as places of darkness—places that hold death—but in this painting, Jesus has transformed Lazarus’ tomb into a source of light. The people gathered around Lazarus are illuminated by the light below, and Lazarus himself is clothed in it.

The physical source of light in this painting is not visible, which allows us to ponder the ways that supernatural light shines here. This is a depiction of the light of divine life, which Jesus shares with us through his resurrection. Thanks to Jesus’ saving death, our own tombs will become a source of light one day.

What parts of our lives are in darkness and most in need of supernatural light—the hope of new life?