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As we enter this final week before Holy Week the narrative of Jesus’ life on earth builds to a climax. In the Gospels of the last two weeks, Jesus gave water to those who thirsted and light to those who could not see. Water and light are essentials of life. Today we hear Jesus giving life itself to someone who has died. The giver of water and light is also the giver of life itself. Let us thank God for the gift of our Savior as we prepare for the final two weeks of Lent. Link to Gospel JOHN 11:1-45 and Readings
Readings - 5th Sunday of Lent
Reading I: Ezekiel 37: 12-14
The prophet’s mission clearly is to his people in exile. He preaches on the hope-filled word of God to uplift them with the promise of new life, only because they have been spiritually dead. This will happen through God’s own Spirit.
Reading II: Romans 8: 8-11
The Holy Spirit is the true power-giving life for the Christian here on earth. Later this same Spirit will enable him or her to rise up from death.
The Gospel: John 11: 1-45, or 11: 3-7, 17, 20-27, 3-45
Jesus works His greatest of the seven “signs” by His giving of the gift of life. Having received this awesome power from His Father, calls forth Lazarus. The evangelist provides us with all the surrounding circumstances we need to bolster our belief in the miracle.
Readings for the week—March 29
Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 41c-62; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Jn 8:1-11
Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21; Jn 8:21-30
Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56; Jn 8:31-42
Thursday: Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9: Jn 8:51-59
Friday: Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7; Jn 10:31-42
Saturday: Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13; Jn 11:45-56
Sunday: Mt 21:1-11 (procession); Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14 — 27:66 or Mt 27:11-54HOMILY - 5TH Sunday of Lent
Of all the miracles Jesus did, the raising of Lazarus ranks as the most astonishing to the people of his time and also to us. In traditional Jewish mentality bringing back to life a person who is already four days dead and decaying is as unthinkable as the prophet Ezekiel’s vision in which the grey dry bones of the dead are miraculously restored to life.
This miracle became a challenge to never give up hope even in the hopeless situations in which they found themselves as individuals or as a nation. They have come to believe that it is never too late for God to revive and revitalize a desperate and impossible situation.
But faith is not the point that John makes in this story. In fact there is no one in the story, not even Mary or Martha, who believed that Jesus could bring Lazarus back to life after being dead for four days. No one expected him to do it, so expectant faith is not the emphasis here. Rather the emphasis in the story is on how we cooperate with a miracle-working God and this cooperation is placed on practical obedience in doing God’s will.
To effect the miracle, Jesus issues three commands and all of them are obeyed to the letter. This is how the miracle happens. First, “Jesus said, ‘Roll away the stone.’ … So they rolled away the stone” (verses 39-41). Did the people understand why they should do this heavy work of rolling away the tombstone to expose a stinking corpse? You bet they didn’t. But it was their faith in Jesus expressing itself not through intellectual agreement with Jesus but through practical agreement with him, through obedience. Why didn’t Jesus command the stone to roll away all by itself, without bothering the people? We don’t quite know. All we know is that divine power seems always to be activated by human cooperation and stifled by non-cooperation. As C.S. Lewis said, “God seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures.” God will not do by a miracle what we can do by obedience.
In this moment of Covid19 pandemic, while we ask the Lord to heal us and do miracle for us to end this coronavirus, this is also the time when cooperation, unity, collaboration and obedience are very much needed. Let us all do what the Lord delegates to us…spread not the virus, stay at home, pray, help in whatever way you can while mindful of your own safety and wellness.
The second command Jesus gives is directed to the dead man: “‘Lazarus, come out!’ and the dead man came out” (verses 43-44). We do not know the details of what transpired in the tomb. All we know is that Jesus’ word of command is followed by immediate obedience. Lazarus gropes his way out of the dark tomb even with his hands and feet tied up in bandages, and his face all wrapped up. Even a man rotting away in the tomb can still do something to help himself. Are you in a desperate situation? Are you rotting away in your own tomb? Jesus wants you to rise and get out of there. You need to obey and do something to help yourself like Lazarus. Do not panic. Stay hopeful. Do what you can do.
The third command is again addressed to the people, “Unbind him, and let him go” (verse 44). Even though Lazarus could stumble himself out of the tomb, there was no way he could unbind himself. He needs the community to do that for him. By unbinding Lazarus and setting him free from the death bands the community is accepting Lazarus back as one of them. Thank God we have a lot of frontliners in fighting the disease. While all of us are grateful to them and proud to call them our present heroes, we can help too by continually praying for them. Others go out of their way providing them masks, gears, and other things. We can surely unbind other Lazaruses around us.
Many Christian individuals and communities today have fallen victim especially to the death of sin. Many are already in the tomb of hopelessness and decay, in the bondage of sinful habits and attitudes. Nothing short of a miracle can bring us back to life in Christ. Jesus is ready for the miracle. He himself said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). There are various ways we may cooperate with God in the miracle of bringing us back to life and reviving us as individuals, as a church, and a nation. Are we ready to act and obey?Let us pray….
Lord Jesus, at your command, the sick were made well! Come to our aid now, in the midst of the Global spread of the Corona Virus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the Virus. May they regain their strength. Heal us from our fear, which prevents us from working together and with one another. Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.
Stay by our side in this time of uncertainty, sorrow and fear. Be with those who died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in peace. Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry or grieve, defend them from illness and despair.
Be with the medical professionals who seek to heal and put themselves at risk in the process. Be with the leaders of all nations, give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the wellbeing of everyone.
Lord, Stay with us as some of us mourn, as many of us try to endure, persist, struggle and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Lord Jesus Christ, Heal us and protect us. AmenSpiritual Communion Prayer
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. AmenConcluding Prayer
We pray, almighty God,
that we may always be counted
among the members of Christ,
in whose Body and Blood we have communion,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.