Lazarus

On this day:1621
The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags.1622
Jamestown massacre: Algonquian Indians kil
l 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony’s population.1765
The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies.
1916
The last Emperor of China, Yuan Shikai, abdicates the throne and the Republic of China is restored.
1943
World War II: the entire population of Khatyn in Belarus is burnt alive by German occupation forces.
1984
Teachers at the McMartin preschool in Manhattan Beach, California are charged with satanic ritual abuse of the children in the school. The charges are later dropped as completely unfounded.

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Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except the best. -Henry van Dyke, poet (10 Nov 1852-1933)

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The investigations and trials from the McMartin child abuse case took seven years and cost more than $15 million. It was, and currently remains, the longest and most expensive criminal trial in American history. It developed its own vocabulary and terms on its way to being an industry.

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This year’s Venice Biennale looks as polarised as ever, with the EU threatening to cut funds if the organisers go ahead with plans to approve a Russian pavilion, while over 200 artists want Israel barred.

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Pakistan’s ICBM program is on track to go intercontinental (ie, reach the US).

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Lazarus

Today's gospel is the raising of Lazarus. You would think that would be enough but Christ magnifies the event. On hearing Lazarus is ill Christ says ambiguously, 'This sickness will not end in death, but it is for God's glory so that through it the Son of God may be glorified.' Mary and Martha will be rewarded, but not just yet.

Back to Bethany.

Bethany was dangerous territory for Christ. "The disciples said, 'Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews were trying to stone you; are you going back there again?'"
And Thomas, just a great human guy: "Then Thomas -- known as the Twin -- said to the other disciples, 'Let us also go to die with him.'"

In it, Christ is upsettingly emotional. Seeing Christ cry is unnerving as the gospels never report He ever laughed. But His intensity points to one thing: death is the linchpin in all of life's discussions. This passage does not recoil from the ironic horror that Kazantzakis exploits later in The Last Temptation of Christ, where Lazarus follows Christ around as a living, decaying man.