This Sunday used to be called Passion Sunday and the statues were all veiled in purple drapery. The practice added a solemnity to the last two weeks of Lent.
Life was becoming very dangerous for Jesus as he came close to Jerusalem. The first twelve chapters of St John’s gospel are called the Book of Signs. There are seven of these, seven being a number which indicates completeness in the Bible. They are like a scroll unfolding, gradually revealing who Jesus is.
The seventh and last sign, the raising of Lazarus, is really a prefiguring of the death of Jesus and his resurrection. The stone is rolled back to reveal Lazarus; the difference is that Lazarus still wears his grave cloths which have to be removed, whereas those of Jesus are left rolled up, as he has no need of them any more. Lazarus lives but will die again; Jesus on the other hand will never die again. “I am the Living One. I was dead and now look, I am alive forever and ever!” (Rev. 1:18)
The loving act of Jesus in bringing his friend to life and restoring him to his sisters would result in his own death. This seventh sign would convince many that he was the Messiah. Martha spoke for them: in her profession of faith, as profound as Peter’s, she declared: “Yes Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into the world.” The chief priests, who received word of what had happened, knew that now they had to get rid of Jesus. Caiaphas confirmed this by his statement. “It is better that one man die for the people." (John 11:50-53)