I could smell the loss across the room sitting in front of my mother’s casket. She passed away the day after Palm Sunday and buried on Good Friday, six years ago.
Holy week . . . the special time of resurrection.
Her last days were difficult for our family. Daughter Sherise and I remained throughout the last days and hours, lying in the bed next to her. We watched sickness corrode the body that contained the sweet soul.
As she faded from this life to the next, daughter placed a palm branch above her hospital bed and held a hyacinth beneath her ashen face. Her last shallow earth breaths, taking in the scent of her favorite time of year, before meeting the Father.
The fragrance of Mom sits on my windowsill today, the purple symbol of loss and resurrection. I placed a hyacinth on her grave just the other day and saw her smile.
All of us have faced the death of one we didn’t want to see leave. The story in the gospel of John tells of a family grieving a loved one. We sometimes think of Martha as the one who feels “a woman’s work is never done,” while she steps over her worshipping sister, Mary. They, like us, were real women who experienced their personal faith in different ways.
I’ve been both.
Martha plays a special role in ministry to me as I read her story. Their beloved brother Lazarus dies. Martha stands mourning at the tomb. Her brother has been dead four days. She waits for Jesus. She thinks He’s late. When she heard He was coming, she ran to meet Him. Mary remained, knowing He’d show up.
Martha greets him with sorrowful words stained with complaint, “Lord, if You would have been here, this wouldn’t have happened” . . . my paraphrase in hearing Martha’s frustration, sounding like my voice at times of crisis of faith.
Jesus looks into the hurting eyes of Martha and says, “Your brother will rise again and live.”
“I know this, on the last day, on resurrection day” she says, maybe tapping her foot.
. . . and He gently replies . . .
“I AM the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will have life and never die.” He doesn’t say there will be, or can be, He says He is the resurrection.
And then the profound question to her and to us . . . .“Martha, do you believe this?”
The often busy and serving Martha answered without batting an eyelash, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming into the world.”
Mary and Martha join together at Lazarus’ tomb . . . before the miracle, we see a grieving God . . . Jesus wept holy tears. He loved his close friend.
The Master says, “Move the stone away.”
Martha falls prey to logic, “It’s been four days, there will be a stench.”
“Didn’t I tell you if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
Jesus prayed aloud to the Father who hears. He shouts “Lazarus, COME OUT!” to the corpse who amazingly appears and sheds death rags. Many came to believe at the cemetery revival, the final miracle in the book of John.
Belief is needed before the miracle. Can you imagine how our lives would be if we believed through the impossible circumstances of life?
How terrible it is to love something that death can touch . . . death, the fruit of the garden. But when we believe, Jesus crushes the neck of death with His foot and it slithers away to the appointed place.
Hyacinths smell like life to me . . . the fragrance of Mom and her new life.
The scent of the cross. Resurrection and new life.
“______________, do you believe this?”
This illness is not unto death, but to glorify the Son of God. John 11:4
. . . and it has in my life (a treasured word I received in 1979, two days after my son was born with renal failure).
Verna
Ruth says
April 5, 2012 at 12:57 pmVerna, How beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Two years ago Bob’s mother left us the day before Easter, to share Easter with our Lord & Savior, & others that went before her. It was such a day of rejoicing for us. Ruth
vernabowman says
April 5, 2012 at 5:04 pmI remember your testimony at this difficult (yet rejoicing) time. Thank you, Ruth!
Glenda Mills says
April 5, 2012 at 1:23 pmBeautifully written about this wonderful remembrance of your mother and our Lord Jesus who makes resurrection possible for our loved ones. Thanks Verna for sharing.Thinking of you…happy Holy Week.
vernabowman says
April 5, 2012 at 5:05 pm. . a special week of remembrance of what our Savior has done for us . . . (and of my mom) . . . thank you, Glenda!
Glenda Mills says
April 5, 2012 at 1:23 pmBeautifully written about this wonderful remembrance of your mother and our Lord Jesus who makes resurrection possible for our loved ones. Thanks Verna for sharing.Thinking of you…happy Holy Week.
vernabowman says
April 5, 2012 at 5:05 pm. . a special week of remembrance of what our Savior has done for us . . . (and of my mom) . . . thank you, Glenda!
Liz Cowen Furman says
April 5, 2012 at 10:24 pmMom’s are sacred! What a great analogy of having faith to believe what He says He will do! Happy Easter!
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 9:00 pm. . . and what He says, He CAN do . . . thank you, Liz!
Laura Kilmer says
April 6, 2012 at 5:55 amThis is a tear-jerker, Verna, yet calls us into the sobering truth and question; how little, or how great is our faith? Thank you for sharing this in such a beautiful way. I could really relate.
Laura Kilmer says
April 6, 2012 at 5:55 amThis is a tear-jerker, Verna, yet calls us into the sobering truth and question; how little, or how great is our faith? Thank you for sharing this in such a beautiful way. I could really relate.
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 8:59 pmyes, how little or how great is our faith . . . thank you, Laura for the personal touch your post responses add.
Jane Consiglio says
April 6, 2012 at 6:43 amVerna, Thank you for the reminder-“This illness is not unto death, but to glorify the Son of God.” Have a Blessed Easter.
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 8:58 pm. . . the beauty in the truth of this word . . . right, Jane?
Jane Consiglio says
April 6, 2012 at 6:43 amVerna, Thank you for the reminder-“This illness is not unto death, but to glorify the Son of God.” Have a Blessed Easter.
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 8:58 pm. . . the beauty in the truth of this word . . . right, Jane?
Diana Leagh Matthews says
April 6, 2012 at 6:38 pmVerna, so beautiful! My grandfather had two siblings die on Easter Sunday one year apart–but there’s not a better time to go home. Thank you for sharing!
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 8:57 pm. . . it’s a precious time . . . thank you for visiting, Lee!
Diana Leagh Matthews says
April 6, 2012 at 6:38 pmVerna, so beautiful! My grandfather had two siblings die on Easter Sunday one year apart–but there’s not a better time to go home. Thank you for sharing!
vernabowman says
April 6, 2012 at 8:57 pm. . . it’s a precious time . . . thank you for visiting, Lee!
Adriana Vermillion says
April 7, 2012 at 5:04 pmThis illness is not unto death, but to glorify the Son of God. John 11:4 – one of my favorite verses. I have lost a few dear people in my life and almost lost my mother early this year, but the Lord chose to heal her of cancer. Beautiful post and praying for you as your remember your mom. Much love!
verna says
April 7, 2012 at 6:07 pm. . . yes, I know, and I’m rejoicing with you Adriana . . have a blessed Easter with your family!
Adriana Vermillion says
April 7, 2012 at 5:04 pmThis illness is not unto death, but to glorify the Son of God. John 11:4 – one of my favorite verses. I have lost a few dear people in my life and almost lost my mother early this year, but the Lord chose to heal her of cancer. Beautiful post and praying for you as your remember your mom. Much love!
verna says
April 7, 2012 at 6:07 pm. . . yes, I know, and I’m rejoicing with you Adriana . . have a blessed Easter with your family!
Janeen Ippolito says
April 21, 2012 at 9:34 pmWhat a precious memory–thanks for sharing!
Janeen Ippolito says
April 21, 2012 at 9:34 pmWhat a precious memory–thanks for sharing!