Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus's Greatest Miracle

“James Martin—arguably our greatest writer-priest—has penned a genius meditation on the Raising of Lazarus. I came away with a renewed hope that grace alone can call me out of whatever tomb I’ve buried myself in.” —Mary Karr, author of The Liar’s Club and Lit: A Memoir

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 compassionate book, Father James Martin, SJ explores the story of Jesus’s greatest miracle—the raising of Lazarus from the dead—and what Jesus means when he calls each of us to “come forth.” Meditatively and carefully, Martin leads us verse by verse, offering profound reflections on Jesus’s lessons on 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
Spiritual lessons for today’s readers
Meditations on Lazarus in art and the larger culture
Stories from Martin’s travels through the Holy Land

As he explores these strands in depth, Martin helps us let go of the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing God’s presence in our lives. We need only to open ourselves to the transformative story of Lazarus and trust that God can use it to free us to experience, like Lazarus, new life.