I love the stories about Jesus and Lazarus. In John 11, when Jesus speaks of Lazarus, he refers to him as "Our friend." In one of the other accounts, when Jesus learns that Lazarus has died, we get the shortest verse in the bible - "Jesus wept." The stories of Jesus and Lazarus remind me of the humanness of Jesus. He not only had disciples, he had friends.
We read of Jesus' compassion. We know that he cared for the crowds. He sought to shepherd them. It is a good additive to see that he allowed that care to be more than charity. He was doing more than dispensing his excess good will - he was forming relationships.
Jesus must always remain Christ - I am not advocating a reduction of his importance. Rather, I am taking comfort from the story's insight that Jesus not only cared for us, Jesus cares about us. We are more than followers or disciples - we are his friends.
There is that line, in our Sunday liturgy (when we use the Now the Feast and Celebration liturgy) in which we refer to Jesus our Saviour and our friend. That line will remind me of the positive experience associated with this morning's refection.
Jesus saves me.
Jesus befriends me.
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