“Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).

In last weekend’s Gospel of the raising of Lazarus, we heard Jesus speak these words to Lazarus’ sister Martha, reminding and assuring her of His promise that He is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). And then He revealed His own and His Father’s glory by raising a man already dead four days (John 11:39), commanding simply, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11:43).

This weekend we begin the holiest week of the year with the celebration of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. The crowds, who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and subsequently hailed Him as the King and Son of David “who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13), now join their leaders in shouts of, “Crucify him, crucify him!” (John 19:6), rejecting Him as their king and choosing instead the worldly kingdom of Caesar (John 19:15). This Sunday and Good Friday, as we speak the part of the crowd during the reading of the Gospel, we recognize the awful truth that we ourselves, because of our sins, are guilty of His crucifixion.

Yet, in this moment of His crucifixion and death, when Jesus seemed utterly defeated, we discover both His triumph and His glory. As we gaze upon His image on the cross, we still know the power of His promise to Martha: “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). Elsewhere, He promised: “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever He wishes” (John 5:21). He so desired this eternal life for each one of us that He chose it over His own earthly life.

Therefore, in the cross, we see not only Christ’s glory but our own. Through it, we are saved and healed. By His death and resurrection, death has been defeated and no longer has lasting power over us.

Martha, her sister Mary, the Jews who were grieving with them, and Jesus’ apostles witnessed God’s glory when Lazarus was restored to earthly life. But when Christ rose to new and everlasting life, they witnessed it yet more magnificently. They truly saw “the glory of God” when they witnessed Him arise and break the power of death forever.

St. Irenaeus, one of the Fathers of the Church, said, “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.” Each time we encounter the fullness of life and joy, we receive a glimpse of the glory God wants to share with us in our future resurrection. May we live the remainder of this Lent — and the remainder of our lives — seeking through the cross of Christ the glorious life of His resurrection.

Sr. Mary Martha Becnel is a member of the Ann Arbor-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.