Death And Revival

Sciendum quoque est, quod tres illi modi peccantium iuxta descensus sui ordinem facilius corriguntur, quartus vero iste difficilius emendatur. Unde et Redemptor noster puellam in domo, iuvenem extra portam, in sepulcro autem Lazarum suscitat. Adhuc quippe in domo mortuus iacet, qui latet in peccato. Iam quasi extra portam educitur, cuius iniquitas usque ad inverecundiam publicae perpetrationis aperitur. Sepulturae vero aggere premitur, qui in perpetratione nequitiae etiam usu consuetudinis pressus gravatur. Sed hos ad vitam miseratus revocat, quia plerumque divina gratia, non solum in occultis, sed etiam in apertis iniquitatibus mortuos, et mole pravae consuetudinis pressos, respectus sui lumine illustrat. Quartum vero mortuum Redemptor noster nuntiante discipulo agnoscit, nec tamen suscitat, quia valde difficile est ut is quem post usum malae consuetudinis etiam adulantium linguae excipiunt, a mentis suae morte revocetur. De quo et bene dicitur: Sine mortuos sepelire mortuos suos. Mortui enim mortuos sepeliunt, cum peccatores peccatorem favoribus premunt. Quid enim aliud est peccare, quam occumbere; et sepelire, quam abscondere? Sed qui peccantem laudibus prosequuntur, exstinctum sub verborum suorum aggere abscondunt. Erat autem et Lazarus mortuus, sed tamen non a mortuis sepultus. Fideles quippe mulieres illum obruerant, quae et eius mortem vivificatori nuntiabant. Unde et protinus ad lucem rediit, quia cum in peccato animus moritur, citius ad vitam reducitur, si super hunc sollicitae cogitationes vivunt. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, Moralia, sive Expositio in Job, Liber IV, Caput XXVII Source: Migne PL 75.663b-664a

We must also know that the three ways of being sinners are more easily corrected as they come in their order downwards, but the fourth is not corrected but with difficulty. And hence our Saviour raises the young girl in the house, 1 the young man outside the gate, 2 but Lazarus from the grave. 3 For the one who sins in secret is as yet laying dead in the house, and he is already being carried outside the gate whose wickedness is done openly, even to the shamelessness of public performance. But the sepulchral mound presses down on him who in the performance of sin is heavily pressed down upon by the use of habit. But all these in mercy He recalls to life, because it often happens that Divine grace enlightens with the light of its regard not only those dead in secret sins, but likewise those with openly evil practices, and those who are pressed down beneath the weight of depraved habit. But the fourth one our Saviour knows is dead by a disciple's proclamation, and He does not raise him, because it is very hard that anyone can be recovered from the death of the soul, who after continuance in evil habit the tongues of flatterers have got hold of. Concerning whom it is well said, 'Let the dead bury their own dead.' 4 For the dead bury the dead when sinners heap approval on sinners. For what else is it to sin but to meet with death? And what is it to bury but to conceal it? So they who pursue the sinner with their praise hide the dead man under the heap of their words. Now Lazarus too was dead, but he was not buried by the dead. For the faithful women had buried him and announced his death to Him who revives. Whence he was quickly returned to the light, because when the soul dies in sin, it is swiftly brought back if anxious thoughts live over it. Saint Gregory the Great, Moralia, or Commentary on Job, Book 4, Chap 27 1 Mt 9.18-26 2 Lk 7.11-15 3 Jn 11.17-44 4 Lk 9.60