Let Us Also Go (John 11:16)

 

Monday, August 4, 2025

Psalm 80

2 Samuel 14:4-24

John 10:40-11:16

Observance: John Baptist Vianney, parish priest of Ars, France (d. 1859)

Let Us Also Go (John 11:16)

So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

At the start of the second chapter of St Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he talks about Christ Jesus in such a way that many biblical scholars believe to be an ancient hymn. It is sometimes called the “kenotic” passage, which comes from the Greek “kenosis”, which is to “empty oneself” – because Jesus “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7) This concept of “kenosis”, or self-emptying, has captivated Christians ever since. Not only is it something Jesus did, and so if we want to know Jesus better, we should follow his example, but it is also a way of thinking of God’s pattern of death and resurrection, which is the pattern of creation.

I think this might give us a hint about why St Thomas said what he did in today’s second lesson. It is rather confronting; but he is saying it off the back of Jesus’ words that Lazarus’ death will glorify God. We can certainly come up with examples of Christians actually dying, and in their death glorifying God: martyrs throughout the ages have done this.

But perhaps there is something to the idea of dying spiritually to certain things in our lives that also brings glory to God. Killing sin in ourselves is an obvious one. And there are others, perhaps more difficult to define, but still present. How attached are we to certain things in our lives, that we have to die to in order to see God’s glory more clearly? What about us needs to be emptied out, so that we can be filled up with the abundant resurrection life of Christ in its place? Let us also go to the grave with Lazarus, so that we may be raised to new life in Christ, who emptied himself, and is highly exalted.

Lord of resurrection life: show us what we need to let go of, so that we may be emptied of petty earthly concerns, and see instead your glory which covers all creation.