First There is Grief

Dear Sutton,

I am writing this entry on your birthday. Doing so reminds me of how grateful I am to be your dad. There is no one like you. You are gifted, talented, beautiful inside and out. I have no doubt you could do anything you set out to do. I also know there are typically huge setbacks along any path you might choose. My hope and prayer is that you find those things that resonate with who you are at your core; the things that bring you both joy and fulfillment. When that happens, the rest of us get to drink from the overflow of your life.

-Dad

Inside Out Lectionary Letters

Year A - 5th Sunday in Lent (Texts, Art, Hymns)

Readings for March 22, 2026

Ezekiel 37:1-14 / Psalm 130 / Romans 8:6-11 / John 11:1-45

Summary of John 11:1-45

Jesus hears of the illness of his good friend, Lazarus. He delays going to see him for a few days. When he finally arrives in Bethany, which is where Lazarus and his two sisters have their home, he finds out that Lazarus has died and is already buried in the tomb. The passage tells of Jesus’s emotions, those of Mary and Martha, and even of the disciples.

The disciples were anxious about their safety (v.8). The sisters seemed concerned about their brothers health (v.3). Martha was grieving (v.21). Mary was grieving (v.31). She wept. The friends wept (v.33). And Jesus wept (v.35).

Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul

This passage is filled with grief, and grief is a powerful emotion. There are grief counselors, books on grief, videos on grief, cycles of grief and widely accepted treatments for grief. All of them have their place. Anyone experiencing overwhelming grief should avail themselves of any of these resources. There are no spiritual bonus points for trying to address grief alone.

I wonder if Lazarus experienced any grief? Did he experience the afterlife before returning to his earthly life? If so, was it difficult for him to wake up back in his earthly body? Was he forever changed? I guess we don’t know.

What if we think of Lazarus as a part of us? What happens when a dream dies? When an idea gets squashed? When a career path gets canceled? When a relationship falls apart? When a hero disappoints? The loss can be profound, and the grief can be debilitating.

Death of any sort feels so final. And denying the feeling doesn’t make it go away. The message of resurrection doesn’t deny the pain of death, nor does it deny death itself. Rather it says there is more, even when it feels like there is no more. But the body, the mind and the soul can’t rush to the “more.” Grief demands its space. It forces reflection. It creates a pause in everything we deem important. Time seems to fold in on itself. Grief painfully turns the soil of the heart and then, slowly, creates room at the very core of your being for something different; a new path, the seed of a new idea, a different perspective on life itself. But first there is grief.