“Lo! I Tell You A Mystery”

I have to say that I’m ready for a good mystery. I’m ready for a mystery of hope, a mystery of gladness, a mystery of joy. I’m ready to hear a mystery where death is finally defeated. I’m really tired of those who are dear to us, leaving and passing away. I’m tired of death. I’m tired of not having those we love with us. I’m ready for the great mystery. St. Paul, tell us about this great mystery. Tell us about this great mystery where every tear will be wiped away and there will no longer be sorrow and pain. 

“Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed ……when the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1Cor. 15:55-58)

As Christians we are confident that the Lord has won the victory. We are confident that Christ, through his death and resurrection, has conquered sin  and death and Satan. This is our hope and belief and we have staked our very life on this belief. But I have to be honest with you, I’m ready to cash in this great promise from God,  this “wonderful and holy lottery ticket” from God. I’m ready for the Lord to stand up amidst the sound of this heavenly trumpet and announce “O death , where is thy sting.”

In today’s reading from John 11, we see that Jesus himself was tired of death. We see that Jesus himself wept at the death of his friend Lazarus. He broke down a couple of times and wept. “Jesus weeping at the tomb of Lazarus demonstrates how as a human being, he experienced every emotion we experienced, including grief…. he understands exactly what we are going through when we lose a dear friend or loved one… he feels the pain and the sorrow that we are feeling… the reality of death was painful for Jesus; it’s human to be sad, and our faith isn’t somehow deficient if we grieve. He understands our pain, and in our darkest hour, he is with us to comfort and to console.” (God’s Word Among Us, 3-26-23)

So brothers and sisters, the day is coming when the Lord will finish this work and it’s going to be a glorious day, but in the meantime we must be at our work. We must be about the work of the Lord. As our brother St. Paul reminds us, “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”  Oh, what a great mystery. I can’t wait to experience the last chapter. O death your sting and your temporary victory is coming to an end. And that is very good news.