“Lazarus, come forth!” — Saint John 11:43

The raising of Lazarus is not only a miracle—it is a mirror. If we truly look at our lives, we begin to see traces of death everywhere: in broken relationships, in wounds and betrayals, in fear, anger, and resentment, in addictions, in quiet despair, and even in our endless busyness and pursuit of success. These things wrap around us slowly, like grave cloths, binding the heart until it can no longer breathe freely.

Like Lazarus, we may still be alive—but not fully living. And sometimes, like the tomb, there is a stench we try to hide: regret, guilt, or the weight of things done and left undone. But into this reality steps Jesus Christ. He does not avoid the tomb. He stands before it. He calls life out of death. “Lazarus, come forth.”

This is the voice that still speaks into our lives today. As Saint Ephrem the Syrian writes, “The voice that called Lazarus from the grave calls every soul from the death of sin.” Christ does not merely comfort us—He awakens us. And note: Lazarus still comes out bound. The miracle begins with resurrection, but it continues with unbinding. “Loose him, and let him go.”

Today, Christ is calling us—not just to survive, but to live. Bring Him our dead places. Let Him speak into our darkness. For no matter how strong the stench of death may seem, the fragrance of His life is always greater.