5 Jn 11:1-45, Mar 22-26 Awakening the Soul: Lazarus' Story Through Spiritual Psychology

The Gospel for March 22, 2026, is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This is one of three resurrection stories in the Gospels—the others involve Jairus's daughter and the son of the widow of Nain. What sets Lazarus's story apart? Jesus knew Lazarus, along with his sisters Mary and Martha, whom we've encountered before. The deepest lessons emerge before the miracle itself.

Jesus invites us to see death differently. Awareness of mortality prompts us to prioritize what truly matters, fostering deeper appreciation for life. This shifts focus from trivial worries to making meaningful actions, building psychological resilience and stronger relationships.

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Jn 11:1-45, Mar 22-26 Awakening the Soul: Lazarus' Story Through Spiritual Psychology

Hello, and a warm welcome to my regular listeners and those joining us for the first time—thank you for being here!

I'm Peter Doherty, a Catholic priest and psychologist passionate about the deep connection between psychology and spirituality. For too long, these fields have viewed each other with suspicion. That's ironic, isn't it? Healthy psychology strengthens our spirituality, and true spirituality—rooted in solid psychological health—offers profound meaning and resilience.

In this short podcast, I explore the Gospel reading for the coming week. It's a resource for preachers preparing homilies, as well as anyone teaching or studying Scripture. I draw from psychology articles, Scripture scholarship, and anthropological insights to make the Gospel relatable.

I see the Scriptures as guides for faith and spirituality. Biblical writers viewed history differently from modern historians, and these texts are richly layered—there's always more wisdom to uncover.

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The Gospel for March 22, 2026, is John 11:1-45, the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This is one of three resurrection stories in the Gospels—the others involve Jairus's daughter and the son of the widow of Nain. What sets Lazarus's story apart? Jesus knew Lazarus, along with his sisters Mary and Martha, whom we've encountered before. The deepest lessons emerge before the miracle itself.

Consider Jesus's timing: He seems in no hurry to reach Lazarus, even knowing he had died days earlier. Typical of Jesus, his response teaches us much about faith. Let's focus on his conversation with Martha. She has enough faith to recognize Jesus as a healer and powerful prophet. That's sufficient for Jesus, who invites her further: "I am the resurrection and the life." Martha responds with a profound profession of faith.

Mary arrives next, starting from the same place—believing Jesus could have healed Lazarus if only He'd been there. Jesus faces critics too; the townspeople acknowledge His power but respond with scepticism rather than hope. Not everyone will accept the truth.

Jesus proceeds to the tomb. Practical Martha warns of the smell of death, but Jesus remains unfazed. The stone rolls away, He calls, and Lazarus emerges. The result? Many begin to believe in Him.

Jesus shows no fear of death. In His time, people were intimately familiar with it—infant mortality, diseases, and shunning of the ill like lepers were common. Many believed illness or early death was God's punishment for sin, a view echoed in some modern groups during the AIDS epidemic. Our lifestyle choices do impact health and life quality, yet for many, death remains something to fear.

Jesus invites us to see death differently. Awareness of mortality prompts us to prioritize what truly matters, fostering deeper appreciation for life. This shifts focus from trivial worries to making meaningful actions, building psychological resilience and stronger relationships.

Jesus weeps and is visibly moved with Lazarus’ death.  He obviously felt Martha’s and Mary’s pain at the loss.  Even though we are people of the resurrection we can still feel grief at the death of someone close to us.   A spiritual person can have both the grief with a sense of loss and also have the hope that comes from their faith.  I remember when I was a young priest.  During funerals I thought I was comforting the family but reminding them that their loved one was in heaven.  I remember a friend of mine telling me that yes, the loved one is in heaven but the people in front of me during the funeral were feeling the loss.  I was just focussing on the hope and not paying attention to the people’s grief.  Grief that needed attention too. 

We hear no more about Lazarus afterward. I wonder: Did he live differently? Did Mary and Martha see and treat him anew? As Joni Mitchell captured in her 1970 song "Big Yellow Taxi," "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone"—a truth that's unfortunately all too real.

Regular reflection on death equips us to face adversity with fortitude, promoting growth, courage, and detachment from ego-driven goals. Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist, and author of Man's Search for Meaning, argued that death awareness infuses life with purpose amid suffering, countering triviality and urging authentic choices.  

While we can't add days to our life, we can enhance its quality. Awareness of mortality shapes psychological and spiritual health, fostering resilience and meaning, though it can trigger anxiety. Terror Management Health Theory (TMHT) (Goldenberg and Arndt, 2008) shows it motivates health behaviors, self-esteem, and cultural adherence, but excess focus may heighten distress.

Humanity has long pondered what follows death. Unfortunately, the research is far conclusive and there is still much work to do.  The indications are positive and inviting. Since we can't know precisely what happens when hearts stop, near-death experiences —studied heavily in the 1970s—offer our closest insights. Psychologist Raymond Moody chronicled them in his 1975 bestseller Life After Life. 

Most near-death experiences  bring overwhelming calm, euphoria, pain relief, and unity with the universe or unconditional love. Many describe out-of-body views of their bodies, rising through a dark tunnel toward brilliant light. While most are positive, a minority involve distress—voids or torment. Experiences vary culturally but share cores; survivors often gain reduced death fear and heightened spirituality.  The Gospel urges us to confront death's reality, explore its meaning, and follow Jesus in viewing it not as an end, but the beginning of something new.

Thank you for joining me!

Next Sunday, March 29, 2026, I'll reflect on Matthew 26:14-27:66 the triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  

New episodes release every Sunday on the next week's Gospel. Big thanks to Heather Patel Doherty and Richard Coulombe for their wonderful help.

Questions or comments? Email me at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.

May God richly bless you!