Death is a natural part of life. Yet, in this week’s gospel Jesus reveals his power even over death by raising Lazarus from his tomb. The early church used Lent as a time of preparation for baptism at Easter with this story as the final reading. In baptism we die with Christ so that we might also be raised with him to new life. As Lazarus’ death foreshadows that of Christ, we remember this promise of God’s Costly Grace, which is “costly because it cost God his Son.” May this Lent remind us of our transformation from death to life by God’s Costly Grace.
Lent is a season of grace, but it is undoubtedly a Costly Grace. Lent calls us to take God’s grace seriously and reminds us of its full cost. Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined the phrases “costly grace” and “cheap grace,” encouraging Christians to a life of costly discipleship in response to the great cost of Christ’s death on Good Friday. Throughout the forty days of Lent, we are invited into Costly Grace: “Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ” (Bonhoeffer).
title image: Raising of Lazarus, 6th-century, mosaic, Church of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy