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By Dr. Robert Deahl
Dean
College of Professional Studies
Web posted: March 13, 2005
I have always thought that one of the best and most creative aspects of Ignatian spirituality is the encouragement to engage one’s “active imagination” so as to more deeply enter into ‘moment’ of mediation. I was first introduced to this on an eight day Ignatian retreat back in 1977 in which my retreat director gave me the passages on the Nativity from Luke and invited me to place myself in the scene, at the Manger, and allow my reflection and prayer to flow from there. It was an entirely new way of approaching meditation and gave me “permission” to place myself in the presence of the Lord in a whole new and vital way.
In this mission reflection, I would invite us to imaginatively contemplate the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, the Gospel reading for Sunday, March 13.
Find a silent moment in a quiet place and read the account of the Lord raising Lazarus, found in John 11:1-45. Now, place YOURSELF at the scene. What do you see? What do you hear? What’s going on and how are you feeling about it and responding to it?
Dear Lazarus is dead, corrupting, wrapped in darkness and cold. Death is in the air. Then you hear a voice speaking: “I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even through he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Quite the statement!
Allow yourself to feel what it might be like IN-side the tomb, enclosed, and locked in, without vitality or light. Then, slowly, hear the stone moving and hear Jesus call you by YOUR name. “Arise, and come forth.” See the first sliver of light pierce your darkness and gloom and then, bursting forth like a blast of fresh air, there is an invitation to step OUT of the tomb and into the light! You are alive, filled with the spirit and gifted with new life! Can you feel the joy streaming into your body and soul?
We are invited to take up that invitation to “arise and come forth” each and every day. Sometimes it’s dark outside and inside. Sometimes we don’t want to put forth that extra energy or take that next step or face that inevitable challenge. But know this: we are filled with the promise and the hope of the resurrection and bolstered with the light and life of the Lord.
Remember this. Hold on to this. Cherish this. No matter how dark or how hard it may be, we are invited to rise, like Lazarus, to the new light of day and to a new life of Love.
Arise! And come forth!
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