Fifth Sunday of Lent

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. — Romans 8:10

       Lately there has been a growing trend in the media and entertainment industry — a disturbing focus on the “undead” such as zombies, vampires and the like. Movies, TV shows and video games seem to glorify the morbid and macabre — something that I, as a parent, often find alarming.

       Can you imagine what our world would be like if “the living dead” were really among us? How weird that would be! In reality though, I believe that there are really “living dead” people in our midst — because I used to be one of them. During the darkest phase of my life, when I felt that both my body and spirit were “dead because of sin,” I really felt like a zombie. I was empty and broken and hurting, desperate for change.

       Thank God, then, for His saving grace. Because of Christ, my spirit came to life again. Now, years later, I’m blessed to be serving Him in my own little way. Tina Santiago-Rodriguez (tina@ trulyrichmom.com)

Reflection: Are there areas in your life that cause you to be “dead”?

Jesus, without You, there is no life. May my spirit be filled with Your righteousness today and always.

St. Crescentia Hoess, pray for us.

Ezekiel speaks of a time when the dead will be raised. This belief was not universally held by the Jews of Jesus’ time. The nature of the mission of the Messiah was somewhat shrouded in mystery. Perhaps there were many different expectations depending on who one talked to about the issue. There were certainly aspects of what the majority expected that Jesus did not fulfill, such as being a political liberator. Let us not make assumptions as to how God will work in our lives but be open to whatever His will may be.

12 Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! 14 I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the Lord. I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.

R: With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! 2 Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication (R) 3 If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? 4 But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. (R) 5 I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word. 6 More than sentinels wait for the dawn, 7 let Israel wait for the Lord. (R) For with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; 8 and he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. (R)

Paul makes a distinction between following the way of the flesh and following the way of the Spirit. We should pray for the grace to live in the way that Paul explains, as it is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit that we can conquer sin and live a truly righteous life.

8 Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Lazarus’ resurrection is a prelude to that of Jesus. It is a preview of the fact that God has the power to raise people from the dead. Mary’s  conversation with Jesus gives this event a sound theological underpinning — we are aided in understanding what Jesus’ own resurrection from the dead will mean for us.

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

1 Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” 4 When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” 12 So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.” 13 But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 14 So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. 15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.” 17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” 29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. 31 So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” 35 And Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” 37 But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” 38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” 45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

think: It is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit that we can conquer sin and live a truly righteous life.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 25-27

BLESSING

LIST

THE LAST SIGN

The Jewish leaders have always asked Jesus to work out signs that they might believe in Him. On this, the last Sunday of Lent, we read the last and greatest sign that Jesus worked out, according to the Gospel of John. The miracle of Jesus resuscitating Lazarus who had been buried for four days, His great act mentioned only in John’s Gospel, could have been the most convincing sign for Jesus’ contemporaries to believe in Him. The Jews believe that the fourth day in a grave, which is also the fourth day after death — since the Jews buried their dead within 24 hours after the person expired — was already the onset of decomposition. No resuscitation was awaited then. Hence the remark of Martha about the stench.

       But Jesus went on to do what everyone thought was impossible. However, instead of believing in Jesus, the raising up of Lazarus made the Jewish authorities more determined to kill Jesus whom they now regarded as a threat to their authority over the people. He is now more credible, has a “higher trust rating,” and therefore a greater following.

       Sadly, the last sign that Jesus worked out may have failed to reach out to his hardened Jewish contemporaries. But the miracle is not wasted. For us who now believe in Jesus, what happened to Lazarus should be a token of the gift of the resurrection that Jesus — crucified and risen — will give to all who truly put their faith in Him.

       Holy Week, which is just around the corner, should not be simply a week of age-old family and church rituals. Let us make it a renewal of hope and faith in the victory that Jesus shares with us. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What personally comes to your mind and heart when you pray The Apostle’s Creed? What happens when you find out that someone has surpassed your best and your achievements?

Lord, I believe in You. Help me to deepen my faith.