Hidden in Plain Sight

He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out….” John 11:43

Contemplation has the capacity to lead us to epiphanies on our journey. Several years ago, I began to contemplate John’s account of Jesus restoring Lazarus’ life. Few would argue that most of the attention is given to Jesus weeping and his call for Lazarus to “come forth” or “come out,” based on the Bible version. Seemingly in an instant, I recognized what was hidden in plain sight. I needed time to ponder and process this new awareness and its implications. It was only when a friend informed me of her organization’s new name, Unbound, that I first shared my thoughts. She too was in awe.

Lazarus was not the only person in this biblical narrative to receive a command from Jesus. Two days after learning of Lazarus’ health crisis, he tells his disciples that they will be returning to Judea, where their lives were threatened previously, so they could go to Lazarus. Scripture tells us that Jesus life was at risk, but certainly those closest to him would have shared also in the risk of death or bodily harm from the violent mob.

Upon arriving in Bethany, he engaged in conversation with Martha and asked for Mary. After speaking with the grieving sisters, he asked to visit his friend’s burial place. It is here where Jesus commands the stone to be removed from the burial cave. Before calling to Lazarus, he paused to speak with his Abba.

As with most epiphanies, I was struck in noticing his next command - the one given to bystanders two millennia ago and the one given to us this day. It is clear and concise. “Unbind him and let him go.” The words are also alarming. Are we compelled to react to the command or do we question normative practices? Do we restore this man to his place in our family and community?

To some degree, each of us is bound by the systems of death in which we live. We are bound by practices and ways of being that privilege some at the expense of the dignity of others. Misogony, white body supremacy, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamaphopia, nativism, xenophobia, colonization, American exceptionalism, anti-immigrant, poverty, classism, Christian nationalism, mass incarceration. This list is not complete, but these are some of the burial bindings we are called to undo so that we may liberate others and ourselves.