“The Meaning of a Solitary Life”

John 11:1-3, 17-27, 32-37, {1} Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. {2} (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) {3} So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” {17} On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. {18} Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, {19} and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. {20} When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. {21} “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. {22} But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” {23} Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” {24} Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” {25} Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; {26} and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” {27} “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” {32} When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” {33} When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. {34} “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. {35} Jesus wept. {36} Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” {37} But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”