Posted on 04/05/2014 8:15:29 PM PDT by Salvation
GOSPEL COMMENTARY
The Confession of Lazarus
Fr. Paul Scalia
“Untie him and let him go” (Jn 11:45). Our Lord’s words after raising Lazarus should sound somewhat familiar to us. Familiar, not because we hear them often, but because they resemble other words we should hear often: “I absolve you from your sins …” To “absolve” means to set free — to loose, unbind … untie. Our sins become chains that bind us in death, like the burial cloths of Lazarus. We also need to have them removed, to be untied. These similarities suggest that the entire account of Lazarus’ raising provides a way of understanding the sacrament of penance. Indeed, we can find in the story the three necessary ingredients of a good confession.
First, sorrow. The story begins with great sadness. Martha and Mary and the Jews from Jerusalem all weep at the death of Lazarus. So, the first step in a good confession is sorrow for our sins. Without this, nothing else matters. The crowds mourned the death of Lazarus. We should mourn the death of our souls, the death of Christ’s life within us. The most significant sadness in the Gospel story is our Lord’s. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. St. Augustine explains that our Lord weeps to teach us to weep for our sins: “Christ wept: let man weep for himself. For why did Christ weep but to teach men to weep?” Blessed are those who mourn.
Of course, Penance does not require literal weeping. Tears are not obligatory. It does, however, require a sincere contrition for our sins — the rejection of them out of love of God, or at least out of fear of punishment. And with sorrow for sin must also come the resolution not to sin again. This is why the priest asks for the Act of Contrition in the confessional — not to test you on the prayer but to ensure that you possess at least the minimum degree of contrition.
Second, confession. Our Lord asks, “Where have you laid him?” (Jn 11:34) Now, He knew full well where Lazarus was buried. He did not need them to show Him the tomb. But by asking this, He calls more trust and faith out of them. He wants them to show Him the place of death and hopelessness — where it hurts the most. And unless they take Him there, they will not witness His miracle. Notice that they do not say, “Go find it yourself.” They say, “Sir, come and see” (Jn 11:34). They bring Life Himself to that place of death.
When we confess our sins, we, in effect, bring Jesus to our place of death, where life has been buried by sin. Yes, He knows our sins already — indeed, better than we do. By confessing our sins — by naming them in the sacrament — we hand them over to Him and give Him authority over them. We bring Jesus to the tomb of our souls — to that place of death called sin. “Come and see,” the people said to our Lord (Jn 11:34). By naming our sins — both the kind and the number — we do likewise, giving Him authority to destroy the bonds of death within us.
Third, penance. It is Our Lord alone Who raises Lazarus from the dead. But notice that for His power to realize its purpose, He enlists the cooperation of others. “Take away the stone,” He commands them (Jn 11:39). And afterwards He says (to interpret the words another way), “Untie him and let him go.” Consider how difficult these commands were to obey. Martha objects to the first command: “Lord, by now there will be a stench” (Jn 11:39). And untying the formerly dead man was probably not very appealing either. Nevertheless, Our Lord’s divine work of raising Lazarus incorporates their human cooperation.
So, also, our acts of penance. God alone forgives sins through the ministry of the priest. He alone restores souls to life. But for His grace to work fruitfully in our souls, we need to cooperate. We need to do our penance. Thus the purpose of the penance is not to win forgiveness — God alone grants that, and freely — but to bring us into cooperation with the healing He desires for us. It is medicinal. The more we embrace our penances and perform them in faith, the more healing they bring us.
Our Lord did not raise all the dead as He did Lazarus. And even poor Lazarus died again. His miracle involves more than mere physical resuscitation. It points to that greater, spiritual reality we experience when we kneel in death and rise in hope.
Fr. Scalia is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s delegate for clergy.
In todays Gospel, we hear the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The story is a significant turning point in the ministry of Jesus, for as we shall see, it is because of this incident that the Temple leadership in Jerusalem resolves to have Jesus killed.
As is proper with all the gospel accounts, we must not see this as merely an historical happening of some two thousand years ago. Rather, we must recall that we are Lazarus; we are Martha and Mary. This is also the story of how Jesus is acting in our life.
Lets look at this Gospel in stages and learn how the Lord acts to save us and raise us to new life. This gospel has six stages that describe what Jesus does to save us.
I. HE PERMITS. Sometimes there are trials in our life, by Gods mysterious design, to bring us to greater things. The Lord permits these trials and difficulties for various reasons. But, if we are faithful, every trial is ultimately for our glory and the glory of God. The text says,
Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary, and her sister Martha. 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. So the sisters sent word to him saying, Master, the one you love is ill. 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.
Notice therefore that Jesus does not rush to prevent the illness of Lazarus. Rather, he permits it for now in order that something greater, Gods Glory in Jesus, be manifest. In addition, it is for Lazarus own good and his share in Gods glory.
It is this way with us as well. We do not always understand what God is up to in our life. His ways are often mysterious, even troubling to us. But our faith teaches us that his mysterious permission of our difficulties is ultimately for our good and for our glory.
Scripture says,
An old gospel hymn says, Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand, all the way that God will lead us to that blessed promised land. But He guides us with his eye and we follow till we die, and well understand it better, by and by. By and by, when the morning comes, and all the saints of God are gathered home, well tell the story of how weve overcome, and well understand it better by and by.
For now, it is enough for us to know that God permits our struggles for a season and for a reason.
II. HE PAUSES. Here to we confront a mystery. Sometimes God says, Wait. Again, this is to prepare us for greater things than those for which we ask. The text says,
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Note that the text says that Jesus waits because he loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. This of course is paradoxical since we expect love to make one rush to the aid of the afflicted.
Yet Scripture often counsels us to wait.
Thus, somehow our waiting is tied to strengthening us and preparing us for something greater. Ultimately, we need Gods patience in order for us to come to full repentance; so it may not be wise to ask God to rush things. Yet still his delay often mystifies us, especially when the need is urgent.
Note too how Jesus delay here enables something even greater to take place. For, it is one thing to heal an ailing man. It is another and greater thing to raise a man who has been dead four days. To use an analogy, Jesus is preparing a meal. Do you want a microwave dinner or a great feast? Great feasts take longer to prepare. Jesus delays but hes preparing something great.
For ourselves we can only ask for the grace to hold out. An old gospel song says, Lord help me to hold out, until my change comes. Another song says, Hold on just a little while longer, everythings gonna be all right.
III. HE PAYS. Despite the design of God and his apparent delay, he is determined to bless us and save us. Jesus is determined to go and help Lazarus even though he puts himself in great danger in doing so. Notice in the following text how the apostles are anxious about going to Judea. For it is a fact that some there are plotting to kill Jesus. In order to help Lazarus, Jesus must put himself at great risk. The Text says,
Then after this he said to his disciples, Let us go back to Judea. The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there? 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. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. He said this, and then told them, Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him. So the disciples said to him, Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved. But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him. So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go to die with him.
We must never forget the price that Jesus has paid for our healing and salvation. Scripture says, You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Pet 1:18).
Indeed, the apostles concerns are borne out when we see that because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Temple leaders from that point on plot to kill him (cf John 11:53). It is of course dripping with irony that they should plot to kill Jesus for raising a man from the dead. We can only thank the Lord who, for our sake, endured even death on a cross to purchase our salvation by his own blood.
IV. HE PRESCRIBES. The Lord will die to save us. But there is only one way that saving love can reach us and that is through our faith. Faith opens the door to Gods blessings and it is a door we must open by Gods grace. Thus Jesus inquires into the faith of Martha and later that of Mary. The text says,
Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise. Martha said to him, I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? 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.
Jesus prescribes faith because there is no other way. Our faith and our soul are more important to God than our bodies and creature comforts. For what good is it to gain the whole world and lose our soul? We tend to focus on physical things like our bodies, our health, and our possessions. But God focuses on the spiritual things. And so before raising Lazarus and dispelling grief, Jesus checks the condition of Marthas faith and elicits an act of faith: Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, I have come to believe.
Scripture connects faith to seeing and experiencing great things.
So Jesus has just asked you and me a question: Do you believe this? And how will you answer? Now be careful. I know how we should answer. But how do we really and truthfully answer?
V. HE IS PASSIONATE. Coming upon the scene Jesus is described as deeply moved, as perturbed, as weeping. The text says,
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Sir, come and see. And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, See how he loved him. 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? So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the dead mans sister, said to him, Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, Father, I thank you for hearing me. 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.
In his human heart, Jesus experiences the full force of the loss and the blow that death delivers. That he weeps is something of mystery since he will raise Lazarus in moments. But for this moment, Jesus enters and experiences grief and loss with us. Its full force comes over him and he weeps; so much so that the bystanders say, See how much he loved him.
But there is more going on here. The English text also describes Jesus as being perturbed. The Greek word here is Greek word ἐμβριμάομαι (embrimaomai), which means literally to snort with anger, to have great indignation. It is a very strong word, and it includes the notion of being moved to admonish sternly. What is this anger of Jesus and at whom is it directed? It is hard to know exactly, but the best answer would seem to be that he is angry at death, and at what sin has done. For it was by sin that suffering and death entered the world. It is almost as though Jesus is on the front lines of the battle and has a focused anger against Satan and what he has done. For Scripture says, by the envy of the devil death entered the world. (Wisdom 2:23). And God has said, As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ez 33:11).
I do remember at the death of some of my loved ones, experiencing not only sorrow, but also anger. Death should NOT be. But there it is; it glares back at us, taunts us, and pursues us.
Yes, Jesus experiences the full range of what we do. And out of his sorrow and anger, he is moved to act on our behalf. Gods wrath is his passion to set things right. And Jesus is about to act.
VI. HE PREVAILS. In the end, Jesus always wins. And you can go to the end of the Bible and see that Jesus wins there too. You might just as well get on the winning team. He will not be overcome by Satan, even when all seems lost. God is a good God; he is a great God; he can do anything but fail. Jesus can make a way out of no way. The text says,
He cried out in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! 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 free.
I have it on the best of authority that as Lazarus came out of the tomb he was singing a gospel song: Faithful is our God! Im reaping the harvest God promised me, take back what devil stole from me, and I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all!
But notice something important here. Although Jesus raises Lazarus, and gives him new life, Jesus also commands the bystanders (this means you and me) to untie Lazarus and let him go free. So Christ raises us, but he has work for the Church to do: to untie those he has raised in Baptism, and to let them go free.
To have a personal relationship with Jesus is crucial, but it is also essential to have a relationship to the Church. For after raising Lazarus (us), Jesus entrusts him to the care of others. Jesus speaks to the Church to parents, priests, catechists, all members of the Church and gives this standing order regarding the souls he has raised to new life: Untie them and let them go free.
We are Lazarus and we were dead in our sin. But we have been raised to new life. And yet we can still be bound by the effects of sin. And this is why we need the sacraments, Scripture, prayer, and other ministry of the Church through catechesis, preaching, and teaching. Lazarus healing wasnt a one and youre done scenario, and neither is ours.
We are also the bystanders. And just as we are in need of being untied and set free, so we who are also members of the Church also have this obligation to others. Parents and elders must untie their children and let them go free by Gods grace, and so pastors must do with their flocks. As a priest, I too have realized how my people have helped to untie me and let me go free, how they have strengthened my faith, encouraged me, admonished me, and restored me.
This is the Lords mandate to the Church regarding every soul he has raised: Untie him and let him go free. This is the Lords work, but just as Jesus involved the bystanders then, he still involves the Church (which includes us) now.
Yes, faithful is our God. I shall recover it all.
The artwork above is from the ancient mosaics at Ravenna.
This is the song Lazarus sang as he came forth (I have it on the best of authority).
Year A - 5th Sunday of Lent
I am the resurrection and the life
John 11:1-45
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill.
3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus,
6 after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."
8 The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?"
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.
10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them."
11 After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."
12 The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right."
13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.
15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away,
19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed 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 God will give you whatever you ask of him."
23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, 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 believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."
28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."
29 And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
31 The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt 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 came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.
34 He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."
35 Jesus began to weep.
36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days."
40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me."
43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. (NRSV)
Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
I said this before I called the power of God in me as His begotten Son, to illustrate with facts the integrity of my words. I am the one who gives life. First I have favored everyone with temporal life on this earth, but after the death of the body, I give eternal spiritual life from the moment of the resurrection.
I had opened the eyes of the blind, I had opened the ears of the deaf, I had loosened the tongues of the mute, I had made the paralytic walk, I had healed the lepers and many others who were sick with all kinds of diseases, I had also cast out evil spirits from those who were possessed. By all those miracles I confirmed my power to reverse the evils that come to men, but I wanted mostly to impress upon your minds the reality of the sickness of the soul, which is reflected in the body, so that you could learn from me and put all your trust in me.
The worst thing that can happen to the life of the body is death; therefore I performed this miracle of returning life to make you understand that I am truly the resurrection and the life.
Blessed is the man who puts his trust in my words, he is like a tree planted by the edge of the river, his roots extend to the living waters of life, he will have nothing to fear when tribulation comes, he will produce good fruit every day of his life. He will always be my delight.
My heavenly Father has given his testimony to the world through the continuous manifestation of creation. I the Word of God, His Son; came to the world to give my own testimony. As a man I demonstrated that you are all made in God’s image. In human words I invited all to follow me and I offered my salvation to everyone. I did not come to condemn but to forgive; I came to save those who accept me as their Savior and Lord.
As a last offering to all of you I offered my life to the Father as the sacrifice to take away the sins of the world.
Put all your trust in me if you desire eternal life, because I am the resurrection and the life.
Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary
5th Sunday of Lent
Reading I: Ezekiel 37:12-14 II: Romans 8:8-11
1 Now a certain man was ill, Laz'arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Laz'arus was ill.
3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it."
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz'arus.
6 So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea again."
8 The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11 Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, "Our friend Laz'arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep."
12 The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, "Laz'arus is dead;
15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
16 Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Laz'arus had already been in the tomb four days.
18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house.
21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."
23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world."
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."
29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled;
34 and he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."
35 Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."
40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me."
43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Laz'arus, come out."
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him;
Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Reflections
Sunday, April 06, 2014 Fifth Sunday of Lent |
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Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Feast Day: April 6
Born: 1125 at Paris, France
Died: 6 April (Easter Sunday) 1203 in Denmark
Canonized: 21 January 1224 by Pope Honorius III
Blessed Notker
Feast Day: April 06
This Benedictine monk had once been a sickly child. He had a very noticeable speech impediment all his life. Notker was determined not to let it get in his way. This made him even more likable than he already was.
He and two other friends, Tutilo and Radpert, were very happy monks. They encouraged each other in their vocations at the monastery of Saint Gall in Germany. Their common love for God and for music made them lifelong friends. You can read about St. Tutilo on March 28.
King Charles visited the great monastery from time to time. He highly respected Notker and asked him for advice. Unfortunately, he didn't usually follow the advice. One time King Charles sent his messenger to ask to see the monk. Notker was taking care of his garden. He sent this message: "Take care of your garden as I am taking care of mine." King Charles understood that he should be taking better care of his own soul and of his kingdom.
The king's personal chaplain was educated but very conceited. He was upset because the king valued Notker's opinion so much. In front of everybody at court one day, he asked Notker, "Since you are so intelligent, tell me what God is doing right now." The priest smiled at the monk, thinking he would never have an answer. Instead, Notker responded quickly, "God is doing now what he has always done. He is pushing down those who are proud and is raising up the lowly." The people started laughing as the chaplain quickly left the room.
Blessed Notker spent the rest of his life in his chosen vocation. He did many little extra things to make monastery life pleasant for the monks. With his friends, Tutilo and Radpert, he created beautiful music for the worship of God.
Reflection: "God is doing now what he has always done. He is pushing down those who are proud and is raising up the lowly."-Blessed Notker
John | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
John 11 |
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1. | NOW there was a certain man sick, named Lazarus, of Bethania, of the town of Mary and Martha her sister. | Erat autem quidem languens Lazarus a Bethania, de castello Mariæ et Marthæ sororis ejus. | ην δε τις ασθενων λαζαρος απο βηθανιας εκ της κωμης μαριας και μαρθας της αδελφης αυτης |
2. | (And Mary was she that anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair: whose brother Lazarus was sick.) | (Maria autem erat quæ unxit Dominum unguento, et extersit pedes ejus capillis suis : cujus frater Lazarus infirmabatur.) | ην δε μαρια η αλειψασα τον κυριον μυρω και εκμαξασα τους ποδας αυτου ταις θριξιν αυτης ης ο αδελφος λαζαρος ησθενει |
3. | His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. | Miserunt ergo sorores ejus ad eum dicentes : Domine, ecce quem amas infirmatur. | απεστειλαν ουν αι αδελφαι προς αυτον λεγουσαι κυριε ιδε ον φιλεις ασθενει |
4. | And Jesus hearing it, said to them: This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God: that the Son of God may be glorified by it. | Audiens autem Jesus dixit eis : Infirmitas hæc non est ad mortem, sed pro gloria Dei, ut glorificetur Filius Dei per eam. | ακουσας δε ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη η ασθενεια ουκ εστιν προς θανατον αλλ υπερ της δοξης του θεου ινα δοξασθη ο υιος του θεου δι αυτης |
5. | Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus. | Diligebat autem Jesus Martham, et sororem ejus Mariam, et Lazarum. | ηγαπα δε ο ιησους την μαρθαν και την αδελφην αυτης και τον λαζαρον |
6. | When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he still remained in the same place two days. | Ut ergo audivit quia infirmabatur, tunc quidem mansit in eodem loco duobus diebus ; | ως ουν ηκουσεν οτι ασθενει τοτε μεν εμεινεν εν ω ην τοπω δυο ημερας |
7. | Then after that, he said to his disciples: Let us go into Judea again. | deinde post hæc dixit discipulis suis : Eamus in Judæam iterum. | επειτα μετα τουτο λεγει τοις μαθηταις αγωμεν εις την ιουδαιαν παλιν |
8. | The disciples say to him: Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone thee: and goest thou thither again? | Dicunt ei discipuli : Rabbi, nunc quærebant te Judæi lapidare, et iterum vadis illuc ? | λεγουσιν αυτω οι μαθηται ραββι νυν εζητουν σε λιθασαι οι ιουδαιοι και παλιν υπαγεις εκει |
9. | Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world: | Respondit Jesus : Nonne duodecim sunt horæ diei ? Si quis ambulaverit in die, non offendit, quia lucem hujus mundi videt : | απεκριθη ιησους ουχι δωδεκα εισιν ωραι της ημερας εαν τις περιπατη εν τη ημερα ου προσκοπτει οτι το φως του κοσμου τουτου βλεπει |
10. | But if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. | si autem ambulaverit in nocte, offendit, quia lux non est in eo. | εαν δε τις περιπατη εν τη νυκτι προσκοπτει οτι το φως ουκ εστιν εν αυτω |
11. | These things he said; and after that he said to them: Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. | Hæc ait, et post hæc dixit eis : Lazarus amicus noster dormit : sed vado ut a somno excitem eum. | ταυτα ειπεν και μετα τουτο λεγει αυτοις λαζαρος ο φιλος ημων κεκοιμηται αλλα πορευομαι ινα εξυπνισω αυτον |
12. | His disciples therefore said: Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. | Dixerunt ergo discipuli ejus : Domine, si dormit, salvus erit. | ειπον ουν οι μαθηται αυτου κυριε ει κεκοιμηται σωθησεται |
13. | But Jesus spoke of his death; and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep. | Dixerat autem Jesus de morte ejus : illi autem putaverunt quia de dormitione somni diceret. | ειρηκει δε ο ιησους περι του θανατου αυτου εκεινοι δε εδοξαν οτι περι της κοιμησεως του υπνου λεγει |
14. | Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: Lazarus is dead. | Tunc ergo Jesus dixit eis manifeste : Lazarus mortuus est : | τοτε ουν ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους παρρησια λαζαρος απεθανεν |
15. | And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe: but let us go to him. | et gaudeo propter vos, ut credatis, quoniam non eram ibi, sed eamus ad eum. | και χαιρω δι υμας ινα πιστευσητε οτι ουκ ημην εκει αλλα αγωμεν προς αυτον |
16. | Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him. | Dixit ergo Thomas, qui dicitur Didymus, ad condiscipulos : Eamus et nos, ut moriamur cum eo. | ειπεν ουν θωμας ο λεγομενος διδυμος τοις συμμαθηταις αγωμεν και ημεις ινα αποθανωμεν μετ αυτου |
17. | Jesus therefore came, and found that he had been four days already in the grave. | Venit itaque Jesus : et invenit eum quatuor dies jam in monumento habentem. | ελθων ουν ο ιησους ευρεν αυτον τεσσαρας ημερας ηδη εχοντα εν τω μνημειω |
18. | (Now Bethania was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) | (Erat autem Bethania juxta Jerosolymam quasi stadiis quindecim.) | ην δε η βηθανια εγγυς των ιεροσολυμων ως απο σταδιων δεκαπεντε |
19. | And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. | Multi autem ex Judæis venerant ad Martham et Mariam, ut consolarentur eas de fratre suo. | και πολλοι εκ των ιουδαιων εληλυθεισαν προς τας περι μαρθαν και μαριαν ινα παραμυθησωνται αυτας περι του αδελφου αυτων |
20. | Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus had come, went to meet him: but Mary sat at home. | Martha ergo ut audivit quia Jesus venit, occurrit illi : Maria autem domi sedebat. | η ουν μαρθα ως ηκουσεν οτι ιησους ερχεται υπηντησεν αυτω μαρια δε εν τω οικω εκαθεζετο |
21. | Martha therefore said to Jesus: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. | Dixit ergo Martha ad Jesum : Domine, si fuisses hic, frater meus non fuisset mortuus : | ειπεν ουν μαρθα προς τον ιησουν κυριε ει ης ωδε ο αδελφος μου ουκ αν ετεθνηκει |
22. | But now also I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. | sed et nunc scio quia quæcumque poposceris a Deo, dabit tibi Deus. | αλλα και νυν οιδα οτι οσα αν αιτηση τον θεον δωσει σοι ο θεος |
23. | Jesus saith to her: Thy brother shall rise again. | Dicit illi Jesus : Resurget frater tuus. | λεγει αυτη ο ιησους αναστησεται ο αδελφος σου |
24. | Martha saith to him: I know that he shall rise again, in the resurrection at the last day. | Dicit ei Martha : Scio quia resurget in resurrectione in novissimo die. | λεγει αυτω μαρθα οιδα οτι αναστησεται εν τη αναστασει εν τη εσχατη ημερα |
25. | Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live: | Dixit ei Jesus : Ego sum resurrectio et vita : qui credit in me, etiam si mortuus fuerit, vivet : | ειπεν αυτη ο ιησους εγω ειμι η αναστασις και η ζωη ο πιστευων εις εμε καν αποθανη ζησεται |
26. | And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? | et omnis qui vivit et credit in me, non morietur in æternum. Credis hoc ? | και πας ο ζων και πιστευων εις εμε ου μη αποθανη εις τον αιωνα πιστευεις τουτο |
27. | She saith to him: Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world. | Ait illi : Utique Domine, ego credidi quia tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi, qui in hunc mundum venisti. | λεγει αυτω ναι κυριε εγω πεπιστευκα οτι συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου ο εις τον κοσμον ερχομενος |
28. | And when she had said these things, she went, and called her sister Mary secretly, saying: The master is come, and calleth for thee. | Et cum hæc dixisset, abiit, et vocavit Mariam sororem suam silentio, dicens : Magister adest, et vocat te. | και ταυτα ειπουσα απηλθεν και εφωνησεν μαριαν την αδελφην αυτης λαθρα ειπουσα ο διδασκαλος παρεστιν και φωνει σε |
29. | She, as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly, and cometh to him. | Illa ut audivit, surgit cito, et venit ad eum ; | εκεινη ως ηκουσεν εγειρεται ταχυ και ερχεται προς αυτον |
30. | For Jesus was not yet come into the town: but he was still in that place where Martha had met him. | nondum enim venerat Jesus in castellum : sed erat adhuc in illo loco, ubi occurrerat ei Martha. | ουπω δε εληλυθει ο ιησους εις την κωμην αλλ ην εν τω τοπω οπου υπηντησεν αυτω η μαρθα |
31. | The Jews therefore, who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up speedily and went out, followed her, saying: She goeth to the grave to weep there. | Judæi ergo, qui erant cum ea in domo, et consolabantur eam, cum vidissent Mariam quia cito surrexit, et exiit, secuti sunt eam dicentes : Quia vadit ad monumentum, ut ploret ibi. | οι ουν ιουδαιοι οι οντες μετ αυτης εν τη οικια και παραμυθουμενοι αυτην ιδοντες την μαριαν οτι ταχεως ανεστη και εξηλθεν ηκολουθησαν αυτη λεγοντες οτι υπαγει εις το μνημειον ινα κλαυση εκει |
32. | When Mary therefore was come where Jesus was, seeing him, she fell down at his feet, and saith to him: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. | Maria ergo, cum venisset ubi erat Jesus, videns eum, cecidit ad pedes ejus, et dicit ei : Domine, si fuisses hic, non esset mortuus frater meus. | η ουν μαρια ως ηλθεν οπου ην ο ιησους ιδουσα αυτον επεσεν αυτου εις τους ποδας λεγουσα αυτω κυριε ει ης ωδε ουκ αν απεθανεν μου ο αδελφος |
33. | Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews that were come with her, weeping, groaned in the spirit, and troubled himself, | Jesus ergo, ut vidit eam plorantem, et Judæos, qui venerant cum ea, plorantes, infremuit spiritu, et turbavit seipsum, | ιησους ουν ως ειδεν αυτην κλαιουσαν και τους συνελθοντας αυτη ιουδαιους κλαιοντας ενεβριμησατο τω πνευματι και εταραξεν εαυτον |
34. | And said: Where have you laid him? They say to him: Lord, come and see. | et dixit : Ubi posuistis eum ? Dicunt ei : Domine, veni, et vide. | και ειπεν που τεθεικατε αυτον λεγουσιν αυτω κυριε ερχου και ιδε |
35. | And Jesus wept. | Et lacrimatus est Jesus. | εδακρυσεν ο ιησους |
36. | The Jews therefore said: Behold how he loved him. | Dixerunt ergo Judæi : Ecce quomodo amabat eum. | ελεγον ουν οι ιουδαιοι ιδε πως εφιλει αυτον |
37. | But some of them said: Could not he that opened the eyes of the man born blind, have caused that this man should not die? | Quidam autem ex ipsis dixerunt : Non poterat hic, qui aperuit oculos cæci nati, facere ut hic non moreretur ? | τινες δε εξ αυτων ειπον ουκ ηδυνατο ουτος ο ανοιξας τους οφθαλμους του τυφλου ποιησαι ινα και ουτος μη αποθανη |
38. | Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the sepulchre. Now it was a cave; and a stone was laid over it. | Jesus ergo rursum fremens in semetipso, venit ad monumentum. Erat autem spelunca, et lapis superpositus erat ei. | ιησους ουν παλιν εμβριμωμενος εν εαυτω ερχεται εις το μνημειον ην δε σπηλαιον και λιθος επεκειτο επ αυτω |
39. | Jesus saith: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him: Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he is now of four days. | Ait Jesus : Tollite lapidem. Dicit ei Martha, soror ejus qui mortuus fuerat : Domine, jam ftet, quatriduanus est enim. | λεγει ο ιησους αρατε τον λιθον λεγει αυτω η αδελφη του τεθνηκοτος μαρθα κυριε ηδη οζει τεταρταιος γαρ εστιν |
40. | Jesus saith to her: Did not I say to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God? | Dicit ei Jesus : Nonne dixi tibi quoniam si credideris, videbis gloriam Dei ? | λεγει αυτη ο ιησους ουκ ειπον σοι οτι εαν πιστευσης οψει την δοξαν του θεου |
41. | They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus lifting up his eyes said: Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me. | Tulerunt ergo lapidem : Jesus autem, elevatis sursum oculis, dixit : Pater, gratias ago tibi quoniam audisti me. | ηραν ουν τον λιθον ου ην ο τεθνηκως κειμενος ο δε ιησους ηρεν τους οφθαλμους ανω και ειπεν πατερ ευχαριστω σοι οτι ηκουσας μου |
42. | And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand about have I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. | Ego autem sciebam quia semper me audis, sed propter populum qui circumstat, dixi : ut credant quia tu me misisti. | εγω δε ηδειν οτι παντοτε μου ακουεις αλλα δια τον οχλον τον περιεστωτα ειπον ινα πιστευσωσιν οτι συ με απεστειλας |
43. | When he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth. | Hæc cum dixisset, voce magna clamavit : Lazare, veni foras. | και ταυτα ειπων φωνη μεγαλη εκραυγασεν λαζαρε δευρο εξω |
44. | And presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with winding bands; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go. | Et statim prodiit qui fuerat mortuus, ligatus pedes, et manus institis, et facies illius sudario erat ligata. Dixit eis Jesus : Solvite eum et sinite abire. | και εξηλθεν ο τεθνηκως δεδεμενος τους ποδας και τας χειρας κειριαις και η οψις αυτου σουδαριω περιεδεδετο λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους λυσατε αυτον και αφετε υπαγειν |
45. | Many therefore of the Jews, who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him. | Multi ergo ex Judæis, qui venerant ad Mariam, et Martham, et viderant quæ fecit Jesus, crediderunt in eum. | πολλοι ουν εκ των ιουδαιων οι ελθοντες προς την μαριαν και θεασαμενοι α εποιησεν ο ιησους επιστευσαν εις αυτον |
Catholic
Almanac:
Friday, April 6 |
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Liturgical Color: Red |
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How will the world come to an end?
At the end of time, God will create a new heaven and a new earth. Evil will no longer have any power or attractiveness. The redeemed will stand face to face with God as his friends. Their yearning for peace and justice will be fulfilled. To behold God will be their blessedness. The Triune God will dwell among them and wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, sorrow, lamentation, or trouble.
Why do we say "Amen" to the profession of our faith?
We say Amen "Yes" to the profession of our faith because God appoints us witnesses to the faith. Anyone who says Amen assents freely and gladly to God's work in creation and redemption.
The Hebrew word amen comes from a family of words that mean both "faith" and "steadfastness, reliability, fidelity". "He who says amen writes his signature" (St. Augustine). We can pronounce this unconditional Yes only because Jesus in his death and Resurrection has proved to be faithful and trustworthy for us. He himself is the human Yes to all God's promises, just as he is also God's definitive Yes to us. (YOUCAT 164-165)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (1042-1050) and other references here.
Part 1: The Profession of Faith (26 - 1065)
Section 2: The Profession of the Christian Faith (185 - 1065)
Chapter 3: I Believe in the Holy Spirit (683 - 1065)
Article 12: "I believe in life everlasting" (1020 - 1065)
VI. THE HOPE OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH ⇡
At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign for ever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed: The Church ... will receive her perfection only in the glory of heaven, when will come the time of the renewal of all things. At that time, together with the human race, the universe itself, which is so closely related to man and which attains its destiny through him, will be perfectly re-established in Christ.631
631.
LG 48; Cf. Acts 3:21; Eph 1:10; Col 1:20; 2 Pet 3:10-13.
Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, "new heavens and a new earth."632 It will be the definitive realization of God's plan to bring under a single head "all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth."633
632.
2 Pet 3:13; Cf. Rev 21:1.
633.
In this new universe, the heavenly Jerusalem, God will have his dwelling among men.634 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."635
634.
Cf. Rev 21:5.
635.
For man, this consummation will be the final realization of the unity of the human race, which God willed from creation and of which the pilgrim Church has been "in the nature of sacrament."636 Those who are united with Christ will form the community of the redeemed, "the holy city" of God, "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."637 She will not be wounded any longer by sin, stains, self-love, that destroy or wound the earthly community.638 The beatific vision, in which God opens himself in an inexhaustible way to the elect, will be the ever-flowing well-spring of happiness, peace, and mutual communion.
636.
Cf. LG 1.
637.
638.
Cf. Rev 21:27.
For the cosmos, Revelation affirms the profound common destiny of the material world and man: For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God ... in hope because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay. ... We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.639
639.
The visible universe, then, is itself destined to be transformed, "so that the world itself, restored to its original state, facing no further obstacles, should be at the service of the just," sharing their glorification in the risen Jesus Christ.640
640.
St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 5,32,1:PG 7/2,210.
"We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man, nor the way in which the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away, and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, in which happiness will fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men."641
641.
GS 39 § 1.
"Far from diminishing our concern to develop this earth, the expectancy of a new earth should spur us on, for it is here that the body of a new human family grows, foreshadowing in some way the age which is to come. That is why, although we must be careful to distinguish earthly progress clearly from the increase of the kingdom of Christ, such progress is of vital concern to the kingdom of God, insofar as it can contribute to the better ordering of human society."642
642.
GS 39 § 2.
"When we have spread on earth the fruits of our nature and our enterprise ... according to the command of the Lord and in his Spirit, we will find them once again, cleansed this time from the stain of sin, illuminated and transfigured, when Christ presents to his Father an eternal and universal kingdom."643 God will then be "all in all" in eternal life:644 True and subsistent life consists in this: the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, pouring out his heavenly gifts on all things without exception. Thanks to his mercy, we too, men that we are, have received the inalienable promise of eternal life.645
643.
GS 39 § 3.
644.
645.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. illum. 18,29:PG 33,1049.
Daily Readings for:April 06, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: By your help, we beseech you, Lord our God, may we walk eagerly in that same charity with which, out of love for the world, you Son handed himself over to death. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
ACTIVITIES
PRAYERS
o Prayer for the Fifth Week of Lent
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Lent (2nd Plan)
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Lent (1st Plan)
· Lent: April 6th
· Fifth Sunday of Lent
Old Calendar: Passion Sunday
‘Out of the depths I call to you O Lord: Lord hear my cry. Listen attentively to the sound of my pleading!’ (Ps 129:1-2) In this, the fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church invites us to turn our attention to the realities that are perhaps the most ‘scandalous’ in human experience, the death of a loved one. In this Gospel we see all those who are being supportive of Martha and Mary at the moment of their brother, Lazarus’ death.
Previously called "Passion Sunday," this Sunday marks the beginning of Passiontide, a deeper time of Lent. This is the third Sunday of the scrutinies for the preparation of adult converts, and the final Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week. The Liturgy of the Word of this day speaks of re-creation, resurrection, and new life.
Sunday Readings
The first reading from the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel 37:12-14 is taken from the chapter about pouring forth the Spirit upon the "dry bones" in the valley of his vision. The prophet speaks of restoration through an act of God through the Spirit and that it was through him that the people first were saved from their oppression in Egypt, and by his power they will be saved again and restored as the people of God. The symbolic meaning of the reading is the resurrection of the people to new life, a theme clearly reiterated in succeeding apocalyptic literature and finally present in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The second reading from St Paul to the Romans 8:8-11 states that through Christ the whole person of the believer is saved, raised up, and redeemed. The realm of the flesh is the realm to be left behind, and the realm of the Spirit is where true life is to be found. But there is no hellenistic dichotomy here between flesh and spirit since the believer lives with the Spirit of God enfleshed in his body so that his whole person will live in conformity with that Spirit. The indwelling of the Spirit refers to the baptism of the person and his consequent moral life.
The Gospel reading, St. John 11:1-45, opens up in front of us a scene of unprecedented sorrow. The Lord Jesus receives the message from the sisters of Lazarus who, when confronted with the gravity of his condition, tried the only thing possible, they turned to the Lord of who it was said: ‘Everything He does is good, he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak’ (Mk 7:37). It is the cry of each one of us who would like their loved ones to live forever without ever leaving us.
The Lord Jesus, inexplicably, waited a further two days before heading for Lazarus’ home. Even then, He only left with His disciples when he divinely knew of His friend’s death. This particular detail from the Gospel tells us that the Word of God was made Man for the love of all of us. Also that His look of love is always upon us waiting for that meeting of immense joy that will happen in eternity.
Upon Jesus’ arrival in Bethany there was a new apparently inexplicable development in the story. First Mary, then her sister Marta and behind them all the Jews who were united with them, converge on Jesus with the certainty that if there was a response to their sorrow it would come from Him. They were not irreligious people who were looking to Jesus for a solution. They profoundly accepted Israel’s faith in the final Resurrection and so even this event was not ultimately inexplicable. In fact Martha said to the Lord, ‘I know that he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day’. (Jn 11:24) However, knowing that in relation to the Lord, nothing that was authentically human in them or their cry of sorrow be would be lost. Prior to that, their only consolation came from the eschatological faith of the time.
In this last sign, worked by the Lord before His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, everything seams to flow to that ‘new reality’ inaugurated by Emmanuel, God with us. Sharing our existence, Jesus had loved us with a supreme passion, with that virginal love that doesn’t seek to possess the heart of the other, but to love it in truth with delicate insistence right up to sacrificing Himself for us. In this infinite delicacy and attention to everyone, He was able to be moved by those who were linked to Him by ties of the most profound friendship who understood that it could not be anything but God’s presence amongst them. ‘I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? She said to him, Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world. (Jn 11:25-27)
Christ then performed the great miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. He announced, through the work of the Father, that He, Himself, God made man, is the Resurrection and the Life. He is also the Lord of biological life. His voice can reach those who, like Lazarus, have exceeded the threshold of four days from their death and arrived at the point where bodily corruption commences. Faced with this sign, the words with which He foretold His Resurrection become clearer: ‘I lay down my life, that I may take it again.’(Jn 10:17) He really can ‘take up [His life] again’ as He is the Word of Life. If Lazarus’ resurrection didn’t stop the Lord’s beloved friend from embracing ‘our sister death’ – to use St Francis’ expression - when God finally called him again from this life, then how much greater is the Life that the Lord has earned for Lazarus and everyone of us in the Pascal Mystery that we are preparing to celebrate a few days from now.
It was Martha and Mary’s faith, even when confronted with Lazarus’ death that gave rise to the extraordinary miracle worked by Christ. This is not only a consoling story narrated in the letters of the Gospel, but it is also accessible to us today in the Church from the day of our Baptism until when we are incorporated to Him by means of the Spirit that He has given to us. ‘If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you.’ (Rom 8:11)
Most Holy Mary, the mother of the Risen One, give us the grace to look towards and live the light of this extraordinary reality – the promise of Resurrection in Christ. Amen.
From the Congregation for the Clergy
At Rome, the Station is in the basilica of St. Peter. The importance of this Sunday, which never yields to any feast no matter what its solemnity may be, requires that the place for the assembly of the faithful should be in one of the chief sanctuaries of the Holy City.
5th Sunday of Lent
Father, I thank you for hearing me. (John 11:41)
You have probably prayed many prayers this Lent, maybe even for those who are sick or departed loved ones—the “Lazaruses” in your life. But does the thought ever creep in: God, are you even listening?
Perhaps we can take a cue from Jesus as he prayed for his friend Lazarus, who had just died. Rather than starting off with his specific request, he said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me” (John 11:41). Jesus offered words of gratitude for the greatest gift of all: God’s friendship and love. He trusted that his Father knew what he needed before he even asked. He knew that his Father would give just the right gifts at just the right time—even if it meant that Lazarus wouldn’t rise until the end of time.
Mary and Martha, women of great faith, expected that Jesus would come as soon as he got word that Lazarus was sick. But he delayed. As time passed, they too must have thought, God, are you listening? By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus was already dead and decaying. But Jesus’ delay had nothing to do with indifference. He was so moved by the women’s distress that he wept at Lazarus’ tomb. In the end, his delay led to an even greater miracle: not just a healing but an actual rising from death!
Jesus hears every prayer you make, even if he doesn’t answer you right away. He weeps with you in your sorrow. He is with you, even when he is holding back his healing touch. He may not give you what you ask for, but he will give you something good—perhaps an increased compassion for other people’s suffering or a greater healing further down the road. Best of all, he will give you the greatest of all gifts: an ever-deepening relationship with him.
So run to the One who hears all your prayers. Go with confidence and trust. Jesus is with you. He will not abandon you!
“Lord, thank you for hearing me. I treasure the incredible gift that you are to me!”
Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130:1-8; Romans 8:8-11
(Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130:1-8; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45)
1. In the first reading, Ezekiel speaks of the days when the Lord will put his Spirit in each one of us and give us new life in him. And we know that this began at our Baptism! What practical steps can you take during the remaining weeks of Lent to help you focus on and be more sensitive to the fact that the very Spirit of the Living God is present within you?
2. The responsorial psalm uses the metaphor of sentinels anxiously awaiting the light of dawn after a dark and lonely night of keeping watch. In what way does this also represent our waiting on the Lord, as we put our trust in his “forgiveness,” “kindness,” and “redemption.” How might you approach the Eucharist, or your times of prayer, with a deeper longing and trust in the Lord?
3. St. Paul in the second reading tells us that because the Spirit of God dwells in us, God promises that our mortal bodies will be raised from the dead too! Sin and death will have no hold over us. As you dwell on these truths, what thoughts or sentiments does it bring to your mind?
4. In the Gospel, in the raising of Lazarus from the dead, we are once again reminded that death doesn’t have the last word! No matter how final death seems, the victory belongs to God’s Anointed, Jesus. What has the last word in your life? Is it discouragement over your sins? Is it the troubles that beset you? Which is stronger: your faith in the power of God’s Spirit in you or the pull of temptation that constantly tries to swamp the Spirit? Why? How can you strengthen this faith?
5. The mediation reflects on why Jesus may have delayed coming to heal Lazarus when he heard that he was sick: “In the end, his delay led to an even greater miracle: not just a healing but an actual rising from death!” Can you share a time you saw God glorified, and your faith strengthened, in a situation that did not go according to your prayers or expectations?
6. Take some time now to pray and thank the Lord for his faithfulness in hearing you when you turn to him in prayer. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
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