A few years ago Elise and I took a motorcycle trip with some friends in Europe. It was a bucket list type trip for motorcyclists with us hitting numerous mountain passes, twisty roads and gorgeous scenery across the Alps in Belgium, Switzerland, France and Italy. Crossing the border into Italy was like coming home (note my vowel ending last name). We had a great time exploring northern Italy. The lakes, mountains, FOOD and then there was the…FOOD.
Elise and I took some time to explore a small Italian village by walking around the streets and outskirts of the town. We happened upon a small church outside the main portion of the village where we found a graveyard on the church grounds. I have always felt that we have lost much with moving cemeteries to remote communal areas away from our parish churches. The sense of continuity of family and of the congregation, as well as a loss of history, occurs when we lose sight of the past. But that is a topic for another reflection.
What we found in this graveyard was many graves of persons who had died during World War II. Most of the graves had continued to be honored with flowers and words of remembrance. At some point it occurred to me that these were the graves of “the enemy”. These were Italian soldiers who had fought for Mussolini and on the side of the Nazis. I actually began to question whether I should have felt sympathy for the loss of life and loss of family. I then realized that it was all a sense of perspective. These graves held the remains of someone’s son, husband, father or grandson. They were loved no less than the boys at Arlington National Cemetery or buried on the beaches of Normandy. We were seeing this cemetery with a different perspective. A different set of eyes.
I read a story while prepping for this reading of someone who was watching a nature show with his family. The show had been following the daily activities of a lioness and her cubs. At one point the lioness went to take down an antelope and missed the kill. The viewers were led to feel sad over the failed attempt since the cubs would not eat this day. But the realization came that if this program had instead been focusing on the daily wanderings of an antelope herd, the viewer would have rejoiced over the escape from the jaws of the lioness. All a matter of perspective.
In today’s Gospel we are presented with Jesus following His raising of Lazarus from the dead. A miracle witnessed by many. All present were aware that Lazarus had died and now was alive. Indisputable. But the response to the event was by no means universal.
“Many of the Jews who had come to Mary (Martha’s sister)
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done. “ (John 11:45-46)
Wait. So Jesus brings a dead body back to life and SOME of the onlookers began to believe in Him?! Didn’t ALL believe after seeing this feat? No. Some went to find the Pharisees to tell them what Jesus had done. Did they all say to each other, “Holy Cow! This guy must be the Messiah. Let’s go and worship Him”. Nope. This miracle caused them to intensify their plotting to have Him killed. The danger, as they saw it, was that EVERYONE would come to believe in Him. Well…yeah. Ya think?!
Same event perceived in two very different ways. Why? All saw the same thing. Why not the same response? Historically it was because the Pharisees lived in a vacuum. They were in control of the religious life, and therefore the social life, of the Jewish people and of the Temple. They were in power and what they mostly were obsessed with is the maintenance of that power. Preservation of the nation of Israel from being taken over by the Romans. They believed that Jesus posed a threat to the Romans and, therefore, to them. If the Romans saw Jesus as stirring up trouble then they might shut down the Temple and Sanhedrin.
But beyond the practical and historical setting, it seems obvious that the focus of the ruling religious class was not on the works of God. If there was ever a symbol of people with a hardened heart it was the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The works of Jesus, and His words related to the prophesies from the Old Testament, were unmistakable. But the veil over their eyes blocked their ability to see the truth. And what was that veil?
I believe it was their living in a state of sin. I know when I offend someone, particularly my wife, it is very difficult to have a normal relationship. Guilt overwhelms my ability to interact and if I don’t interact then I don’t “see” her in the same light. Until I apologize to her, we seem to live separately. And any good she does I block out and don’t recognize. I am encased with guilt and sometimes anger that prevents me from noticing her actions. And the same goes with God, I believe. Our sinful nature gets in the way of our relationship with Him. I know when I sin I am less likely to read scripture. I obviously don’t receive Him into my soul at the Eucharist. We don’t talk. And when you don’t talk to God, I think we lose His graces and His friendship. Our willingness and desire to emulate the Father and the Son is diminished. We want to go in our own direction. Almost out of spite…out of guilt. My kids did the same thing when they were young. If they did wrong, and knew they had done wrong but wouldn’t admit it, they were more likely to retreat into an isolated dark place.
So how do you soften a hard heart? Melt it by stepping into the light and letting the Son warm it up. Step into the light by 1) Saying your sorry (go to confession), 2) staying close to Him in His word, 3) keep open a dialogue every day with prayer, and 4) receive Him in the Eucharist. Basically, stay in touch. Because, after all, that is what friends do.
