sermon excerpts: "Dead Man Walking"

Jesus was on his way to see Mary and Martha in Bethany, where they were worried about their brother Lazarus who was very ill and died. But Jesus was in no hurry and taking his own sweet time to get there. All the while, Lazarus was shut into the dark tomb of death and four entire days passed by. Surely it was too late for anything to be done but continue in the grieving process. It seemed that Jesus was procrastinating to further prove his point.

A couple chapters earlier in the gospel, a man born blind gained vision. Now, Jesus continues to do the unthinkable and resurrect the dead. Having knowledge of the rest of the story, we know what happens next, he will resurrect himself. But for new ears to this narrative, things become more and more unbelievable as we get closer and closer to Jerusalem.

There’s the urban legend of a Japanese schoolgirl who is learning English as a second language and also learning about Christianity. As the story of Jesus, his death and resurrection, is explained to her, she gets a very confused look on her face. She eventually has to ask, “Oh! So Jesus was a zombie, then?”

No more or less so than Lazarus was, I guess. Lying in the tomb, to hear the voice of Jesus commanding him to come out. What would I do? I’d just have been getting used to the idea of being dead, my spirit would have left my body and gone exploring through the afterlife.

When Jesus calls out like an alarm clock, I’d roll over and try to ignore the interruption. But we are called out of our comfort and routine into a world that is bright, dangerous and hurting. And sometimes we emerge to discover that the stench of decay and rot was actually us. So we are called forth to join with others, to be a community of care and support, to celebrate life and proclaim that death cannot ever win.

It was a wondrous day in Bethany for Mary, Martha, their friends, their neighbours, and Lazarus. But what of his life afterwards? That is what we as a faithful people thousands of years later don’t have the privilege of knowing. This is the most practical part of the story: what happens next?

We can have intense spiritual experiences, we can connect deeply with a minister or someone in the pew nearby, we can have an unforgettable retreat or worship service, but when that fades and we get back to normal, ordinary life, what next? How can we sustain such momentum?

... The term “dead man walking” came into the Hollywood spotlight through the work of Sister Helen Préjean and her ministry with deathrow inmates. As the convicted proceed to their execution, the call rings out “Dead man walking!”

But aren’t we all walking towards our death? That is the cold, hard truth about our finite existence. We only have so much time on this earth before we are no longer. Lazarus was one who came back, a literal dead man walking.

It is all a matter or perspective, are we heading toward death and demise, or going beyond to resurrection and hope? The institutional church, as it is, is suffering like Lazarus, is dry and brittle like bones long forgotten. The time to connect with the sweeping spirit of God’s promise is upon us. Dare we emerge from the comfort, and stench, of the tomb and see what awaits?

That is our task as the faithful people of Christ. How best might we worship, learn and serve, as individuals and as community? Not, how best might we keep doing things they way they’ve always been done? It will take soul-searching, courage and trust; and the outcome might very well be more frightening than any zombie.