Who do you seek?

 "We want to see Jesus."

At least these Greeks were clear about what they wanted. According to the gospel of John, these Greeks came looking for an audience with Jesus soon after the episode where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11).  It would appear that the word got around that Lazarus was in the tomb, 4 days dead, when Jesus summoned him back into this life once again.  In John, it was this unimaginable miracle that was the underlying cause for Jesus' arrest.  [The Jewish leadership said, "Can't you see that it is better for one man to die than for an entire nation to be crushed?" that is, to have Jesus killed and thus save the Jews from the Roman authorities.]

So some Greeks wanted to see Jesus.  Now Greeks were anyone who wasn't Jewish (remember that this story is told from a Jewish perspective).  This tells us that the word about Lazarus was being spoken among the foreigners, the Romans, the authorities, the rulers........as well as among the people of Israel.  Now even the Greeks were interested.  It was a sign.

For Jesus it was a sign of what he had anticipated:  his time was drawing short to be among the people.  Soon he would fulfill that unique call that had been his from birth.  Soon he would be 'lifted up' for everyone - Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, men and women - to see. (see John 3)

So everyone would be able to see Jesus.  But, nothing in the gospel of John is that straight forward.  "To see" Jesus meant much more than just laying eyes on him.  It has to do with seeing and understanding and trusting and following.  Even more, it has to do with how one subsequently lives ones' life: with mercy, forgiveness, grace, generosity.

In order 'to see' Jesus, a person had to be able to see the Messiah; not a miracle worker, not a soup kitchen to feed all the hungry, not a wise teacher of the Law, not a military rebel, not even just a righteous one.  Rather, you needed to see the Jesus who came among humankind in order to be the Savior, the Redeemer, the Healer of the rift between God and creation.  You needed to see a love so powerful it would walk into death into to guide creation into life.

Your sight needed to carry you through Good Friday not knowing that Easter was a coming. 

There are many who believe in God, and who trust in God's benevolence towards creation and ultimate desire for the good of all. There are some who are thankful for the blessings they receive, even giving thanks times of the darkness.

Those who 'see' Jesus know that whatever may come, they are already in the hands of the Great Divine Lover of All....and it is joy to them, even into eternity.

May you 'see Jesus'  the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.