Let us think of Jesus standing before the tomb of Lazarus where the friends and relatives had gathered, hoping at least to find some comfort from his words, but not even daring to dream that Lazarus could be resurrected from the dead. Jesus stood there in front of the tomb – one man alone with God. He stood just a little apart from the others and lifted up his soul in silent communication with the Sprit of all life, that Spirit that knows no death. Something flowed into him, and he turned around and said: “Take ye away the stone.” But they remonstrated that Lazarus had been dead for four day, and they dare not roll away the stone.

Now let us watch carefully what Jesus did and listen to his words as he said: “Father, I thank thee that thou has heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always …”. This is recognition of the Divine Presence and the Divine Power that is always available. Here is faith and unification. There was no doubt, no uncertainty, no stammering or stuttering, no imploring or beseeching. Just the simple words: “I thank thee” (gratitude) “that thou hearest me always” (certainty).

Next comes the supreme command: “Lazarus, come forth.” One man with God, recognizing life instead of death until the tomb surrendered its dead, and Lazarus came forth, and Jesus told them to “loose him and let him go.”

Lazarus is each one of us, bound by the restriction of circumstances, tied by the habits of thought, and incarcerated in a tomb from which it seems as though we cannot extricate ourselves. “Loose him, and let him go.” There is much in each one of us that must be loosed – the ropes of fear that bind us, the winding sheet of doubt and uncertainty, the darkness and gloom of our self-imposed prison, and the stone that must be rolled away. Yes, and the doubt of others who would block the action of faith because all they see are the stone and the tomb and the dead man inside; and they say: “You dare not roll away the stone.”

Let us think of the silent communion we have with the Spirit that knows no bondage, with the Life that knows no death, and