The Fifth
Sunday in Lent, 2014
Ezekiel
37:12-14
Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
During the past two weeks we have been
reflecting on the image of water, the image of blindness, and the image of light
and of darkness. Specifically, we have considered water as it is used in
Baptism. In past weeks we heard of the
conversion of the woman who came to get water from the well where Jesus was,
and of the blind man for whom Jesus gave back his sight through clay and a
little water. And today we heard of the return to life of Lazarus who was
dead. Today we are reminded that the
greatest hope we ever have is that life will never end.
Whether you have been a Catholic for
many years or you are a young person Resurrection
is a word and belief loaded with lots of questions. In the next two weeks we
will hear a lot about Resurrection. Easter is about the Resurrection of Jesus
who had been nailed to a cross. Baptism
is about the Resurrection. If Jesus had not risen from his death there would be
no St. James Church, no Catholic Churches,
in fact no Christian Churches and religions. That Jesus died but also
rose from his death is the basis of our Catholic faith. Our three readings
today in one way or other describe resurrection.
The Resurrection of Jesus teaches us
that death is not the end of life. Rather, death is the doorway into a new and
eternal life. The life that we now live is not all there is, as some people
claim. The pains and troubles of this life can be endured because we believe
that something better is to come. If we believe that Jesus was raised after his
death, then that motivates us to also believe the other things Jesus taught
us. Our Christian faith stands or falls
with the truth that Jesus rose from his death. Otherwise, Jesus would be a
failed religious leader. He would be purely human. But it is also most important for us to
believe that the Risen body of Jesus at Easter is not a resuscitated corpse but
a completely new way of living. In the
very same way our entry into heaven when we die will also be a completely new
way of living for us.
For thousands of years people have
imagined what this life after death would be like. The Bible does not give us
detailed descriptions about this life, but it has hundreds of references to it.
Over the centuries there has been no lack of books written by those who have
claimed to have been there and come back. But a study of the Bible which is
God’s word will give us all we need.
But the belief in Resurrection did not
begin with Jesus. In the life of Jewish persons before Jesus, Resurrection grew
into a picture of a new life and hope while the Jewish people were living in
exile. Ezekiel tells us the story of Dry Bones in a field bleached by the sun. It is a picture of utter hopelessness. In whatever direction the Jews walked,
lifeless bones filled the valleys. But Ezekiel sees his people’s dry bones
coming to life again with flesh restored upon them. They will now see God with new eyes. These
dry bones came back to life after God breathed on them. The people that seemed to be dead will come
to life again.
The Gospel gives us the story of
Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha who had died. We are told that Lazarus
was bound from head to toe when he was taken out of the tomb. Jesus tells Lazarus”sisters Martha and
Mary: UNTIE HIM AND LET HIM GO. They
untied Lazarus and he was given life again.
What Jesus does for Lazarus, God will do for Jesus at Easter.
But the message of Jesus is not just
for Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.
It is also important for us. These are words which are used at most
Catholic funerals. In the middle of the account, Jesus declares: 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. Who could make
such a statement? They could be someone so unique and special that the world
has never known, or they could be someone who is severely delusional. From all
we know about Jesus he was someone who was sane. He not only asked Martha if
she believed, but he also could empty the tombs.
Getting life from the dry bones, and
the restoring of life to Lazarus can in one sense be called conversion. For
many conversion can mean changing from one religion to another. But in a more personal way it also means
changing from one way of life to another.
Most persons who are honest with
themselves will admit that at some time in their life they have gone through at
least one conversion experience. They have finally gotten loose from the things
that tied them up. They returned to God
after being away from God and Jesus for years, or even for a short time. People who have gone through this experience
mention that they often feel some inner sickness and even death in the
process. They want more, and usually
want to be closer to Jesus by practicing their religious faith again.
But all of us need conversion
experiences in our life. That is one of
the main purposes of Lent. We need to return
to the Lord part of our faith that has become weak or taken for granted. These
could be spiritual and personal inconsistencies between what we say we believe
and how we act.
Each of us experience little losses in
life. The can be like little deaths for which we grieve or are sad. It could be
our health, our job,our security or the loss of something which meant a lot to
us. We have to trust that God, and only
God, can bring life out of death. This is what Easter means. All things work
well for those who love God. In a sense we are all visitors on this earth. We
all need to have friends, people with whom we can be at home. This week let each us appreciate our
life. Let us give comfort to someone who
is sick. And especially, let us help
someone who may feel that they have lost their faith in God and in Jesus.
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