DID YOU KNOW?
Department of Religious Education (DRE)
LAZARUS SATURDAY
April 27
Did you know Lazarus Saturday is a “little Pascha”?
On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the Church commemorates the miracle of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. The story is retold as a “little Pascha” to strengthen our faith for Holy Week.
The resurrection of Lazarus is a foreshadowing of Christ’s resurrection, who IS “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). And Christ’s resurrection is a foreshadowing of the resurrection of all those who put their faith in Him — “Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live” (John 11:26).
Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany and a close friend of Jesus, becomes sick. When Jesus, near the Jordan River, hears the news, He says: “This illness...is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). After waiting, Jesus tells the disciples: “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him” (John 11:14).
Upon arrival, Martha and Mary say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21 & 32). Jesus replies: “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). They go to Lazarus’ tomb, and Jesus tells them to remove the stone. Jesus prays to His Father that all of this happened so “that they may believe that You sent Me” (John 11:42). He cries with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43). By the power of God, Lazarus is alive and well.
The tomb of Lazarus still exists on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives, two miles from Jerusalem.
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