Saturday, April 3, 2004
Last Day of the Lenten Fast
Saturday of the Righteous Lazarus
2nd Vespers (Palm Sun): Zephaniah 3:14-19 Epistle: Hebrews 12:26-13:8 Gospel: St. John 11:1-45
Zephaniah 3:14-19 RSV, especially vs. 16: "On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear,
O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God is in your midst. A warrior Who gives victory...." When the
Lord Jesus came into Bethany, there were two prevailing opinions in the village: first, if the Lord had arrived prior to
Lazarus' death, He could have healed him and prevented his dying (Jn. 11:21,32,37); and second, since Lazarus was now
dead four days, there was no possibility of restoring him to life (Jn. 11:23-24,39).
During three years of ministry, the Lord had convinced many that He was able to reverse illness and prevent death (Jn.
11:37). However, none could imagine the possibility of Lazarus' revival after four days, because of the manifest power of
corruption after death (Jn. 11:39). Even though the Lord had told His disciples that Lazarus was dead and had assured
them, "I go that I may wake him up" (Jn. 11:11-15), they simply followed in silence. An aura of futility enervated hope in
everyone; their hands had grown weak (Zeph. 3:16).
In considering the Gospel for this day, we may imagine ourselves running through the streets of Bethany and shouting at
everyone, "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a Warrior Who gives victory" (Zeph. 3:16,17). In all honesty: how much
of such an impulse is generated by one's familiarity with the narrative outcome of St. John's Gospel, and how much of
such a thought is the result of truly knowing the God Who is able to "remove disaster" from us? Let us consider this issue
more carefully and heed the Prophet's word to us.
When Zephaniah exhorts God's People to sing, shout, rejoice, and "exult with all your heart" (vs. 14), he gives them
reasons to do so. In addition, in raising Lazarus after the man had been dead for four days, the Lord Jesus gave ample
reason for people to shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord! The King of Israel!" (Jn. 12:13).
Among them were "the people who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead"
(Jn. 12:17). But, St. John tells us that others, who were not present at Lazarus' tomb, also met the Lord "because they
heard that He had done this sign" (Jn. 12:18). Like them, Beloved, we have the testimony of reliable witnesses - not just to
the raising of Lazarus, but to the reality of Resurrection demonstrated by the Lord Himself a few days later.
Examine the reasons why the Prophet urges the People to such exuberant celebration. "The Lord has taken away the
judgments against you" (Zeph. 3:15). Why do all men die? Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Rom. 3:23). Hence all of us are under God's judgment of expulsion from Paradise (Gen. 3:3,24). The Apostle agrees with
Zephaniah: "There is...now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). Are we not united to Christ if
we "walk according to the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1)? The Prophet further declares that God "has cast out your enemies" (Zeph.
3:15). Not only at Lazarus' empty tomb but from His own Light-filled tomb, the Lord Jesus has cast out death, corruption,
and all tears. Finally, to cap off his reasoning, Zephaniah reminds us that "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear evil no more" (vs. 16). Christ is among us. He is and He shall be!
What evil can we fear now? Loss of income? Social ostracism? Incurable cancer? Aging and death? The only evil that it
is reasonable to fear is the loss of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ. Listen to Him: "I will remove disaster from you
so that you will not bear reproach for it" (vs.18). The disaster of Paradise may be reversed in one moment by humble
repentance. Christ is the Victor over our oppressor, death. He has changed our shame to praise.
O Vanquisher of death, Hosanna in the highest. Glory to Thy might, O Savior!
