Come Forth

“Part exploration of the life and death of Lazarus; part spiritual direction on how that story can bring us to new spiritual life; part personal application of the story to Martin's own life—this remarkable testimony demonstrates the power of a single Gospel story. This is soul-nourishing and highly recommended.”—Ben Witherington III, author of A Week in the Life of Corinth

One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Learning to Pray examines one of the most intriguing events in the New Testament—the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead—and explains its significance for us today.

In this wise and thoughtful book, Father James Martin, SJ, analyzes the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection and asks us to consider what Jesus means when he calls Lazarus—and each of us—to “come forth.” Taking us through the Gospel story verse by verse, he offers deep reflection on the lessons it holds about love, family, sadness, frustration, fear, anger, freedom, and joy.

Come Forth combines compelling analysis of the biblical text, insights about the historical setting of the story, meditations on Lazarus in art and the larger culture, as well as stories of Martin’s personal experiences. As he explores these strands in-depth, Martin offers us a deeper understanding of this miracle and its essential message—letting go of the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing God in all His glory.

“All of us have things that we need to ‘let die’ in order to follow God more freely, to love more deeply, and to become the people whom God desires us to be,” Martin writes. As this wise and profound book reveals, we need only to open ourselves to the transformative story of Lazarus and trust that God can use it to free us to experience new life—and come closer to Him.