The story of Lazarus

Tuesday, March 20, 2018
5th Week of Lent
1st Reading: 2 Kings 4:18b-21. 32-37
Gospel: John 11:1-45 or 3-7,17,20-27,33-45
(…) When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. As Bethany is near Jerusalem, about two miles away, many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to offer consolation at their brother’s death.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him while Mary remained sitting in the house. And she said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day.” But Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection; whoever believes in me, though he die, shall live. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha then answered, “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”
After that Martha went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The Master is here and is calling for you.” As soon as Mary heard this, she rose and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.
The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her, also came. When they saw her get up and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep.
As for Mary, when she came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews also who had come with her, he was moved in the depths of his spirit and troubled. Then he asked, “Where have you laid him?” They answered, “Lord, come and see.” And Jesus wept.
The Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “If he could open the eyes of the blind man, could he not have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus was deeply moved again and drew near to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across it. Jesus ordered, “Take the stone away.” Martha said to him, “Lord, by now he will smell, for this is the fourth day.” Jesus replied, “Have I not told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone.
Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for you have heard me. I knew that you hear me always; but my prayer was for the sake of these people, that they may believe that you sent me.” When Jesus had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Many of the Jews who had come with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw what he did.
D@iGITAL EXPERIENCE
THE GOSPEL IN THE ASSIMILATED LIFE EXPERIENCE:
This Gospel is normally read at funerals. I am happy this is read to us on this season of Lent because this season of repentance will not be complete if we don’t reflect on our own death. Whether we like it or not, this life is only temporary. Even Lazarus who was brought back to earthly life nevertheless died eventually. Death is our entry to eternal life, the very life Jesus was referring to when he said “He who believes in me will never die”.
Let this week leading towards Holy Week be for us and exercise of a happy death and allow the wisdom of the season to shed a different light on the way we see things. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.

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