The Reading Today
• Source Material: A Grief Observed
My Reflection
Today’s excerpt is quite short, yet it tackles a deeply powerful question: If we had the power, would we truly wish our deceased loved ones back to life?
Lewis considers the urge to wish his wife, Joy, back from the dead, and concludes that such a desire is fundamentally rooted in personal selfishness. It is a longing to restore his own past happiness and comfort. He then turns the question around and asks whether such a return would actually be good for her. Having already endured the agony and exhaustion of dying once, she would eventually have to face the entire ordeal all over again. He closes the reflection with a characteristic flash of dark wit, suggesting that while Stephen is traditionally revered as the first Christian martyr, perhaps Lazarus actually got the far rawer deal!
While this reading still sits within the heavy framework of grief, I couldn't help but find a quiet streak of humour in Lewis's logic.
There have been countless times I have wished my own lost loved ones back to life—just to talk with them, hold them, or laugh with them once more. Like Lewis admits, those desires were grounded entirely in my own feelings and grief. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I confess I never once gave a second's thought to what that "resurrection" would actually mean for them.
His mention of Lazarus amused me immensely. It brought to mind a brilliant line from a song by the band Everything But The Girl titled "Downhill Racer." Using Lazarus as a metaphor for the sheer exhaustion of trying to make a difficult comeback, Tracey Thorn sings:
"...But Lazarus, he only did it just the one time,
He couldn't face another try..."
It may be a modern pop-culture reference rather than an academic commentary, but that lyric always makes me smile. I can’t help but picture Lazarus emerging squinting from the tomb to the joyous cheers of his friends and family, while privately thinking to himself: "Oh no... I'm going to have to go through all of this a second time!"
Why This Matters
Love sometimes means letting go of our own selfish desires to keep someone with us when their suffering has ended. Recognising that our longing to bring loved ones back is about our pain—not their wellbeing—allows us to hold their memory with greater grace, releasing them from the burdens of this world while we carry on in ours.
My Action for Today
Today, I will cherish the memories of those I've lost without wishing them back into a world of pain and mortality. I will let them rest, while bringing a little light and humour to the loved ones who are still here with me.
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