Father Randy Koenigsknecht
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Jesus meets us both in our doubt and in our suffering—calling us to faith while also weeping with us. In the story of Lazarus, we are reminded that God is not distant from our pain, but present in it, and powerful enough to bring life even where things feel dead. This message invites us to take a step toward Him and trust in His power to heal, restore, and renew.
Read the Homily Short
Jesus, after Lazarus had died, goes to Bethany. When He arrives, Martha comes out to meet Him, and the very first thing she says is an accusation:
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Jesus responds to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha responds in faith. She believes—and she believes so deeply that she goes to her sister Mary, who is still lost in grief and despair.
When Mary hears that Jesus is calling for her, she comes out to meet Him. And when she does, she falls at His feet and makes the same accusation:
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
But this time, Jesus responds differently.
With Martha, He calls her to faith. He reminds her of truth and calls her to trust in His promises.
With Mary, He weeps.
God is not indifferent to our suffering. He is not distant or unmoved when we are in pain. Instead, He comes close. He kneels beside us. He takes on our suffering and shares it with us. He weeps with us—even as He prepares to bring hope.
Then they go together to the tomb.
Jesus tells them to roll the stone away. Martha hesitates—Lazarus has been dead for four days. There will be a stench.
But Jesus reminds her: Who am I? What have I come to do? I have come to bring life.
So they roll the stone away.
And Jesus calls out, “Lazarus, come out.”
And Lazarus comes out—still bound in burial cloths, still wrapped in the signs of death.
Jesus commands, “Untie him and let him go.”
Death no longer has power over him.
And from that moment on, death is no longer the same. For Lazarus, it becomes like sleep—something temporary before being awakened into eternal life.
Martha and Mary will still experience loss. They will still say goodbye. But now they know they will see their brother again.
Death is not a problem for our God.
So if God can raise a man who has been dead in the tomb for four days—what can He do in us, who are alive right now?
He is offering us something more.
We might say, “Lord, I know you can bring life—but I’m not sure you can do it here, in this part of my life.”
This is where faith begins.
This is where we take a step toward Him.
“Lord, help my unbelief. Lord, I want this. Please bring healing. Bring life into these areas of my heart.”
Because the truth is—when we take one step toward God, He has already taken five steps toward us.
He comes so that we may have life.
And so we call upon the Holy Spirit—the One who dwells within us, especially through Confirmation—to bring life into our hearts. To help us know who Jesus is, and what He has come to do for us.
To give us boldness—to ask for healing, to ask for His power, to ask for new life.
Because we have a God who is an expert in bringing the dead back to life.
That is what He does.
So we come to Him today and we say:
“Lord, I believe. Bring me to life.”