Chapter 15: A Family, Conclusion

There are stones in everyone's lives that can block their view of God.  

God, however, is in the business of rolling away stones.  

When a loved one dies, the depth and breadth of a family's faith is tested.  

For this family, such an event became much more; 

became yet another story for the telling

...another stone to be rolled away.

We are still in the home of Lazarus, but someone is missing.  

Grief has come to this home, again.  Mary is packing her belongings

Martha--What are you doing?

Mary--What does it look like?  I’m packing.

Martha==Whatever for?

Mary--Now that he’s dead, we can’t stay here.

Martha--Running away isn’t the answer.  We need to wait.

Mary--We have to do something.

Martha--We need to wait.  

Mary--Wait for what?

Martha--I'm not sure.  I just know we need to wait.  We have to be patient, Mary.  Panic won't help.

Mary--I can't believe he's gone.

Martha--I know.  We have to learn to trust God in this.

Mary--I still struggle with that.  Trust doesn’t come very easy for me.  Neither does patience.  I don't see how you do it.  How you've done it for all these years.

Martha--Practice, my love.  Practice.

Mary --How could Jesus allow this to happen.  It didn't have to be this way.

Martha--You don't know that.

Mary What are we going to do without him?

Martha--Just what is expected of us...and maybe a little more.

Mary --It wouldn't have happened if he was here.

Martha--We don't know that, either.  This could be part of the plan.

Mary Plan?--Death isn't a plan?  Death is the end.

Martha--Not with Jesus.  And you, of all people should know that.

Mary --I know Jesus could do anything he wanted.  But, this ...  No, he couldn't do this.  Martha, it's over... and I don't want it to be.

Martha--Mary, it will never be over.  Not as long as we live.  Jesus is life.   We can't forget that, Mary.  He restored you to us ... to yourself... and to each other.  Jesus made us a family again.

Mary--It's just that... I didn't have enough time with him.  Martha, I wasted so much ...

Martha--We both did.  We wasted it in anger and hate and pride.  We robbed ourselves of so much precious time.  But there is still much more to come, Mary, I know it.  I just know it.  For now, though, we wait ... and, perhaps, learn to grieve.

The sisters embrace and Mary begins to sob. 

 The silence screams in rage. 

There is a shout.  Lazarus runs into the house.

Lazarus--Mary!  Martha!  

Mary--Brother! I thought you were in Jerusalem.  Are they chasing you?

Lazarus--(panting) It happened!  He did it!

Martha knows exactly what he is taking about begins to laugh.

 Mary is clueless.  

Lazarus dances a jig.  

The Traveler, enters, unseen by Lazarus and Mary and moves to Martha.  

Martha sees him and falls to her knees.  

He helps her up and they both begin to laugh.  

Mary sees none of this as she watches Lazarus do his absurd dance.

Mary--still unseeing) What happened?  Who did what?

Lazarus--The tomb ...  the stone ... alive ... THERE! (points to the Traveler)

Traveler--(still laughing)  Mary!

Mary-- My Lord?  .....  My Lord!