Fifth Sunday of Lent

March 17, 2024

Nothing is more deeply human than dying and being buried. And yet it remains a dark mystery. With all his sorrow, Jesus shudders and is moved at the death of his friend Lazarus. He goes to the tomb with the two women, Martha and Mary. He, who is himself the Resurrection and the Life, raises Lazarus. To rise from the dead is to repent, is to serve one another for the happiness of the other. Whoever believes in Jesus will be brought to new life through the death of sin and unbelief, even if you have become far from home. Let us get rid of the stone of sin and unbelief in our lives, that we may believe in Him who is the Resurrection and the Life. From the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ 1 A certain Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. 2 Mary was the woman whom the Lord anointed with perfumed oil and wiped his feet with her hair. The sick Lazarus was her brother. 3 The sisters of Lazarus sent a message to Jesus, saying, "Lord, he whom You love is sick." 4 When Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness does not kill, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it." 5 Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed there two more days, 7 but after that He said to His disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." 17 On his arrival found

Jesus that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; Mary, however, 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 whatever You ask of God, God will give it to You." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." 24 Martha replied, "I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he dies, will live, 26 and whoever lives by faith in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I firmly believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who cometh into the world." 33 When Jesus saw Mary weeping, and also the Jews who had come with her, He shuddered and was deeply moved 34 Jesus said, "Where hast thou laid him?" They said to Him, "Come and see, Lord." 35 Jesus began to weep, 36 so that the Jews said, "Look how He loved him." 37 But some of them said:

"Could not He who opened the eyes of a blind man prevent him from dying?" 38 When Jesus came to the tomb, he shuddered again. It was a rock tomb and there was a stone in front of it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "It already smells, for it is already the fourth day." 40 Jesus answered her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took the stone away. Jesus lifted his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have spoken this for the people around me, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." 43 After these words, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, feet and hands bound with bandages, and with a sweat cloth about his face. Jesus commanded them, "Untie him and let him go." 45 Many Jews who came to Mary and saw what He had done believed on Him. John 11, 1-7.17.20-27.33-45