March 22 – 5th Sunday of Lent
If we had the possibility of rewriting history, would it be similar to that which was written by God? Probably not, for He has unfathomable designs that are often difficult for our limited intelligence to comprehend… How many times have we heard the proverb that “God writes straight with crooked lines”? In reality, the Lord always writes straight with straight lines; it is we who see crookedly. Everything He does, however incomprehensible it may seem at first glance, hides wonders of His infinite wisdom.
An example of this reality is found in the Gospel of this 5th Sunday of Lent, in which the greatest miracle performed by Our Lord, after His own Resurrection, is recounted: the resurrection of Lazarus. If we were given the grace to be present at that sublime event with the possibility of rewriting it according to our criteria, things would undoubtedly have happened in a much less glorious way.
Let us imagine the distress of Martha and Mary as they watched death approach their sick brother, and, having called upon Our Lord, the days passed without the Master attending to them. How many strangers were healed by Jesus, and inexplicably He refused to assist one of His best friends… If we could change the course of events, it is quite likely that the Redeemer would have healed him from a distance or, at least, hurried to him.
That is not what happened. Jesus let the days pass and waited for his friend to die, not because He rejected him, but to have the opportunity to manifest the fullness of His love for him.
For Lazarus, not just any miracle was in store, but the greatest of miracles: the Saviour would awaken him from the sleep of death after four days, manifesting His divinity as never before.
This attitude of Our Lord is frequently repeated in our lives. On many occasions, events do not follow the direction we expect, and sometimes even head in the diametrically opposite direction. How do I react to these setbacks? Do I enthusiastically accept God’s design, or is my attitude one of rebellion because He is not doing my will?
Humanity today lives far from the Lord, and therefore it becomes increasingly difficult to conform to His designs. How many contemporary pathologies would be cured simply if people accepted the divine will with love?
The wonders that God has in store for each of us are extraordinary, but they are not always cosonant with our imperfect desires, which are fruits of a disordered will.
To truly fulfil our calling, we must have the humility to accept the design of the Almighty concerning us, and not seek to accomplish what we conceive according to our own criteria. By acting in this way, we will truly be in God’s hands and will have found the path to true happiness. ◊
