John 11, 3-7.17.20-27.33b-45:
Sunday, 26th March 2023 (5th T C A)
Today the Gospel of John tells us that Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had fallen ill and the apostles ask him to go and cure him. Jesus lets the days go by and Lazarus dies. Then Jesus decides to go and he knows what he is going to do: “so that you may believe”. And, after Jesus’ words, his friend Lazarus comes back to life (“revives”, better than “rises”).
Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, turn to Jesus and say: “if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. Jesus asks them to have confidence, to believe in him. And Lazarus comes back to life. And many of those who were there and saw him believed in Jesus.
On many occasions we also think “if God were here…”. Doubts arise, we lack hope, and above all trust. He is always there. And even more so in those difficult times when illness is taking its toll on many people we know. In these times, we all need to hear words of hope and life, because we can feel the temptation of discouragement, of helplessness in the face of a world that may not seem to have much of a future.
This Sunday’s message is indeed hopeful. Jesus is the Lord of Life. In spite of the cross, which is drawing nearer every day, the Resurrection is in sight. For him and for all of us who have received his Spirit of Life.
It is time for our hope to blossom and to show in our lives, to communicate energy, freedom, joy, life. We cannot go on as if we were dead. Jesus calls us like his friend Lazarus:
Come out!
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf
Do we communicate energy, freedom, joy and life?
