I Am the Resurrection and the Life

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

Reflection on John 11:19-27

In today’s Gospel from John 11:19–27, we are invited into a deeply emotional and faith-filled moment in the life of Martha, one of Jesus’ close friends. Her brother Lazarus has died, and Jesus arrives four days after his burial. We can almost feel the heartbreak and confusion in Martha’s words: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” These are words filled with grief, but also with a spark of faith.

Martha’s pain is real, just as our pain is real when we lose someone or face a seemingly impossible situation. And yet, even in her sorrow, she does something remarkable—she expresses her belief in Jesus: “But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

This moment reveals the beauty of Martha’s faith. She is mourning, but she hasn't given up on hope. She hasn’t let sorrow blind her to who Jesus is. This is a powerful lesson for us: faith is not the absence of grief, but the refusal to let grief have the final word.

Jesus responds with one of the most profound declarations in the entire Gospel: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” This is not just a promise about the future—it’s a truth for the present. Jesus is not only promising eternal life after death but also offering new life right now—life rooted in Him, in His presence, in His love.

Martha's reply is a profession of faith worthy of deep admiration: “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” In this profession, she shows us the foundation of Christian hope. Even in the darkest moments, when we don't fully understand God's timing or plan, we can still trust in who Jesus is.

In our lives, we too face the death of dreams, relationships, or even loved ones. We often find ourselves like Martha—wrestling with grief and yet clinging to faith. Jesus does not scold Martha for her pain. Instead, He reveals more of Himself and invites her to deeper trust.

This Gospel reminds us that Jesus meets us in our sorrow, not from a distance, but with compassion and power. He walks into our tombs—those places of despair and fear—and speaks life. Our part is to respond as Martha did, with a heart that believes even when it breaks.

Let us remember that faith is not always about having answers. Sometimes, it is simply about standing before Jesus with our brokenness and saying, “Yes, Lord. I believe.”

Key Takeaway:
In moments of sorrow and loss, let your faith echo Martha’s: trust not only in what Jesus can do, but in who He is—the Resurrection and the Life, present with you even in your darkest hour.