This homily was given by Fr. Matthew Howell at the end of the Presanctified Divine Liturgy on the 6th Wednesday of Great Lent. On this day the Orthodox Church commemorates the first death of Lazarus–known as “the friend of Christ”–before Jesus raised him from the tomb on the fourth day. Fr. Matthew talks about how the Orthodox Church counts the days after someone dies and also how the death and resurrection of Lazarus is a reflection of our spiritual death in sin but resurrection in Christ.