The Porter’s Gate sing, ‘Have You Found the Lord?’ from Companion Songs. How do these words speak to you today?

Have you found the Lord?

Is he in the wind?

Yes, yes, yes, he’s in the wind

Have you found the Lord?

Is he in the storm?

Yes, yes, yes, he’s in the storm

Christ is in ten thousand places

Ever-present, high and low

Where could I, where could I

Where could I go?

Have you found the Lord?

Is he in your tears?

Yes, yes, yes, he’s in my tears

Have you found the Lord

As a patient friend?

Yes, yes, yes, he is my friend

Christ is in ten thousand places

Ever-present, high and low

Where could I, where could I

Where could I go?

Have you found the Lord?

Is he always good?

Yes, yes, yes, the Lord is good

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

Today we celebrate the feast of two sisters and their brother: they are Martha and Mary, and Lazarus, whom Jesus, later in this chapter, is going to bring back from the dead.

Martha says to Jesus: “if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. And Jesus’ response is “your brother will rise again”. Imagine you are Martha here, standing before Jesus, your friend, the one whom you trust to be Messiah... but at the same time, feeling let down by his absence; confusion and grief intermingled... notice what it’s like to be in her shoes...

Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection and the life”. Do you take comfort from these words, or is it still a little hard to believe?

Now listen as the passage is read once more for you. Step into the scene using all of your senses...

John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

Martha ends by saying, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the One coming into the world”. Can you end this time of prayer by offering the same words to Jesus? Even if this might be difficult to say today...

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen