LENT V [A] : Ez 37:12-14; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45 

A few years ago, a letter appeared in the national news that was sent to a deceased person by the Indiana Department of Social Services. It read as follows:

"Your food stamps will be stopped in March because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."

If Lazarus received that letter he would have certainly reapplied, because his circumstances changed.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  By raising Lazarus Jesus showed he was the resurrection," he was claiming that he was the source  of all life; he was claiming that  he was divine.  According to John, the raising of Lazarus is the sixth of seven signs. It is the longest single narrative/story in the four Gospels, covering 45 verses. It is also Jesus’ last public appearance before His Passion and death. In addition, it is the last and greatest of the miracles worked by our Lord to demonstrate that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, and that through Faith in him believers will receive eternal life.  In other words, Jesus wanted to make this, his last recorded miracle, a convincing demonstration that he is what he claims to be -- the Messiah, sent by God to give new life, eternal life, to mankind.  As this miracle took place a few miles from Jerusalem, Jesus also knew it would give his enemies the impulse and motivation to carry out his condemnation and death by crucifixion, which was the “debt” he, "the suffering servant" of God, was to pay for the sins of mankind.  Jesus explains the why of this miracle as, “It is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 

Lazarus’ sisters had sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus was ill and perhaps would soon die.  On receiving the message, Jesus waited two days so that the will of God might be demonstrated and God glorified by His Son through a major miracle.  At last, Jesus went to the house of Lazarus, knowing very well that his friend had died.  Jesus waited Lazarus to die because raising Lazarus four days after death brought more glory to God than just healing a sick Lazarus. On his arrival, Jesus pacified Martha with one of the most treasured of his teachings, which brings great consolation at funeral service, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.  Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Jesus offers “eternal life,” which begins with Faith now and lasts forever in its fullness. Then Jesus asked one of the most important questions found in the Bible, “Do you believe this, Martha?”  Martha answered, “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Martha pronounced her confession of Faith as a response to Jesus who had revealed himself as the Resurrection and the Life.  Her Faith did not depend upon seeing her brother raised from the dead.  Proof begets knowledge and confirms Faith; Faith does not rest on proof but precedes it.  

 Seeing his friends Martha and Mary crying “Jesus wept.”  This showed that he was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of Man, fully human, sharing our grief and our sorrow and comforting us with his declaration, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”  Mary’s friends who grieved with her are the model of a supporting Church community, like our women who care.  There is something therapeutic about having friends around us when we are grief-stricken.  Hence, the Church must be a community offering compassion and consolation to one another.  Often, in our busy and active culture, we don’t have time to live deeply with our feelings and to share deep love or deep sorrow.

When  Jesus raised  Lazarus  from the dead,  he told  the  people to remove the stone  at the  tomb so Lazarus  could come  out.  Similarly we  ask  the  Lord  to remove from   in  front of  us  those  things which   keep  us from  a full  life  with  Christ:   this  is what  faith  is all about - to remove whatever hinders us in allowing Jesus to be the Lord  of our life. There are so many dark areas in our private lives.  Sometimes we are buried in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, resentment, hatred, and guilt.   Jesus asks us today to seek his help and that of the community around us to loosen those chains and come out of tombs of our own creation.  Is there an area of life where hope is gone?  Why not invite Jesus to visit this area?  If we want Jesus to visit our dark dungeons of sin, despair and unhappiness, let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of the Holy Spirit into our private lives and liberate us from our tombs.  When we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus will call our name and command, "Come out!” Jesus calls each of us by name to come out of our graves and to help others to do the same.  This Tuesday at 7.00 we have the parish reconciliation service. More than fulfilling the Easter duty contained in the law of the Church to confess once a year and receive communion worthily during Easter season it should be an occasion for us to remove all the blocks that hinders Jesus from giving us full life and to enjoy a stronger divine intimacy. As we are just a couple of Sundays away from the Greatest feast let’s us focus all our energy in preparing ourselves to enjoy the peace of the risen Christ when we are set free from anything that hinters us from freedom to know and love God.