Sisters, Martha and Mary send word to  Jesus to tell him that his beloved friend  Lazarus is seriously ill. When Jesus hears this news, her remains  another two days where he is before setting off to Judea. The story is puzzling to say the least! That Jesus delays rushing off to be with his good friends in their hour of need surely smacks of total indifference. In truth, Jesus’ delay is essential to the story.

Jesus is about to deepen the faith of his good friends   Martha, Mary and Lazarus and all those who know them. It is because he loves his friends and not because he is indifferent to them that he allows Lazarus to die before returning. It is through Lazarus’ death that Jesus is about to display indisputable proof of God. Jesus is about to work the ultimate miracle. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

It is not just that Lazarus got his life back that makes this miracle so exciting, it’s that everybody who witnessed it or heard about it had their lives changed as a result. The raising of Lazarus reminds us not only that we are to inherit eternal life, but also that our lives can be miraculously enriched by our faith in Jesus.

As soon as Mary saw Jesus, she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brothers would not have died.’  Today’s Gospel.