March 13, 2005: New Life from Dry Bones

+ The Fifth Sunday of Lent

In our first reading today, the Lord instructed Ezekiel to prophesy that God would open the graves of his people and have them rise up from them, alive again. In the few lines just before this reading, the Lord showed Ezekiel that all that was left of those dead was some dry bones.

It’s quite a dramatic scene, because really, who would ever think that a bunch of dry bones could possibly be knitted back into a living, breathing, healthy human body? Yet that’s exactly what God promised.

Sometimes in life, we might experience something similar. Maybe life has slammed into you so hard that you can’t imagine ever getting back to being happy, healthy, normal and “whole” again. Yet that’s the promise of God—and the promise of Christ in the gospel today: This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God… 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.

Not too many weeks ago, the whole world’s attention turned to the Far East where the tsunami struck. Our hearts went out to the victims and the survivors. People lost spouses, children, parents, homes. Disease and starvation were rampant.

Then we see the victims of war in the Middle East or South America. We see people touched by famine in Africa or India. Reporters don’t have to tell us what we already know: many if not most of these victims don’t survive… but some of them do. In fact, societies and cultures where these kinds of conditions are common make up a greater portion of our world than we’d like to think. And as hard as it may be for us to believe, within those cultures, people find reasons for living and loving one another.

Once again, the question we want to ask is—How? If I’m living with cancer, heart disease, AIDS, depression, widowhood, poverty, or some other heavy-duty problem in my life, how can I find reasons for living and loving, ways to find happiness and fulfillment?

The trick is where to look and where to turn for answers. What every survivor ultimately finds is that the materials of this earth and what we have made from them may support life, but they do not create it or maintain it. It is God and God alone who breathes life into our body and into our spirit.

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the Tour de France, the famous French bicycle race. In fact, the third leg of the race—the Paris-to-Nice leg—is now in progress. The 208 participants each dream of being first.

Not too long ago, I read a story about a very different bicycle race in India. The object of this race was to go the shortest distance possible within a given amount of time. At the start of the race, everyone lines up at the starting point. When the gun sounds, all the bicycles, as best they can, stay put. Racers are disqualified if they tip over or one of their feet touches the ground. And so they inch forward just enough to keep their bike balanced. When the time is up and another gun sounds, the person who has gone the farthest is the loser, and the person closest to the starting line is the winner.

Now imagine getting into that race and not understanding the rules. When the race starts, you pedal as hard and fast as you possibly can. You’re out of breath. You’re sweating. You’re delighted because the other racers are way back near the starting line. You’re going to break the record. You think: this is fantastic! Don’t let up. Push harder and faster and longer and stronger.

And at last you hear the gun that ends the race, and you’re on top of the world because you are unquestionably the winner… except you are unquestionably the loser because you didn’t understand how the race is run.

Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life… the resurrection and the life… gives us the rules to the eternal race of life. The finish line is painted on the other side of our death, right in front of the throne of God himself.

The rules for this race are hardly a secret, yet if we don’t or won’t listen, then how can we possibly expect to win?

A few years ago, I went through a period where I had fun entering all kinds of contests. I remember reading the advice of a successful contest entrant. She said that a lot of entries are thrown out because the people didn’t follow all the directions. They could be simple things—like use blue ink, or print, or staple the receipt in the upper left, or circle the price on your sales receipt… So she stressed reading the directions carefully and paying attention to them. And sure enough, I won a few times!

Jesus tells us again and again what the winning strategy is for this life and for eternity. It is caring about others and not ourselves. It is letting others go first and not pushing to the front. It is giving without the expectation of getting in return. It is being humble, turning the other cheek, forgiving. It is picking up our cross and carrying it without complaint. It is loving God and letting him love you back.

This week, take another look at your life with a fresh viewpoint. If you are heavily burdened, try to imagine your crosses as gifts from God… as stepping-stones on the path to the resurrection of the blessed to eternal life. Take the Lord’s hand and let him guide you along this path. And be at peace and of joyful heart. Amen.

Today’s Readings:
Ezekiel 37: 12–14
Psalm 130
Romans 8: 8–11
John 11: 1–45