8- THE RAISING OF LAZARUS
		
		
		The raising of Lazarus is recorded in the Gospel of 
		St. John (11: 1-44). St. John places this event before 
		Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Our Church 
		remembers the raising of Lazarus from the grave on the 
		day before Palm Sunday, and the Kontakion of the Feast 
		relates these two events. 
		
		
		Christ, the Joy of all, the Truth, the Light of Life, and 
		The Resurrection of the World, appeared to those on earth;
		and by His goodness became also the Image of Resurrection, 
		granting divine forgiveness to all. 
		
		
		All the details of the Gospel account of the Raising of 
		Lazarus are included in the icon. These details are 
		graphic and direct. Christ is in the foreground with Mary 
		and Martha, Lazarus' sisters at His feet. One of the 
		bystanders executes Jesus' command, "Take away the stone",
		Lazarus, the recipient of Christ's saving power, emerges 
		when Jesus cries out, "Lazarus, come out." Still bound in 
		the clothes of burial, Lazarus appears in the presence of 
		all. 
		
		
		The numerous onlookers represent the crowd of people who 
		gather at this incident. The mountains and cave indicate 
		its setting in a cemetery just outside Bethany, the walls 
		of which are barely seen in the background. The icon gives 
		us a glimpse of the symbolic value and deeper meaning of 
		the event. This last and greatest of Jesus' signs is 
		presented to the world so that the will of God may be made
		known through His life-giving power. 
		
		
		TROPARION- O Christ God, You confirmed the resurrection of
		all before the time of Your passion by raising Lazarus 
		from the dead. Therefore, we as the children of Israel 
		carry the symbols of victory and cry out to You, the 
		Conqueror of Death, "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is 
		He who comes in the name of the Lord."
	

		I am free, hallelujah, I am free!
		
		
		Everything that happens too us, and every choice we make, 
		is a reflection of what we believe about ourselves. We 
		cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw
		to ourselves more than we believe we are worth. The things 
		we believe and say about ourselves come back to us in many 
		ways. Self-motivation comes from self-knowledge. We must 
		inspire ourselves by believing we have the power to 
		accomplish everything we set out to do. We must put faith 
		in our ability to use mind and spirit and picture our lives
		the way we want them to be. We must use inner strength and 
		the power of our being to tear down the walls, break 
		through the barriers and move through the obstacles with 
		ease. Our bodies have been freed. Now we must train our 
		minds to believe it.
		
		
		Know thy ideal and live for that. For each soul must give 
		an account for its own self.
		

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