More on Lazarus for Holy Monday

Here's another thing about Lazarus. In St. John's Gospel, it is clear that the raising of Lazarus was the reason there was such a great multitude for Palm Sunday. Now this clarifies some things: the people have witnessed the power of Jesus over death. They came out to see Lazarus. They are already convinced--at least some of them are--that His kingdom is not of this world. And they see the connection between His power and their own lives. This king has power to defeat the greatest enemy, which is death. This is also a major theme of St. John: He that liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Moreover, the connection between Jesus' death and resurrection and the death and resurrection of His people is solidified in the person of Lazarus.