John 11:28-37 - Love Makes the Difference

Scripture: John 11:28-37

Summary: This scripture occurs after Jesus' friend, Lazarus, dies. His sisters Mary and Martha send for Jesus but he dies before Jesus gets there. In the reading, Jesus arrives at their house and Mary tells him that if he had been her Lazarus wouldn't have died. Everyone is crying and Jesus begins to cry too. Then they ask if Jesus could not have kept him from dying. It is here the reading ends. Most of us know that next in the story Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, but this is not in today's reading.

Thoughts: Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus as if they were his own family. He was sad that his friend had died and sad that his other friends were grieving that loss. Just as Jesus loved Lazarus and his family, so God loves us. And in response to the love of God, we are called to love one another. Mother Teresa tells of nuns that come to help her in Calcutta and when they left they said "I have received much more than I have given and I can never be the same person again; because I have touched Christ, I have understood what love is. What it is to love and to be loved!" It is often through contact with the least of these that we are led to really understand God's love.

Prayer: Loving God, may our love for You, and for all of humanity, continue to grow in the presence of Your love for us. Amen.