Fifth Sunday of Lent - 2023

The Fifth Sunday of Lent gives us yet another of Jesus great signs, the raising of Lazarus. It may seem strange to this generation that the problem some of the Jewish officials were having with Jesus’ signs was that he was performing them on the Sabbath. Today the problem is whether or not they even happened at all. Added to this there is even a further problem. If God who is professed to be a loving and merciful God exists why is there so much suffering in the world? (This is known as the “problem of evil”.) That is not to say that devout believers are not challenged by the suffering they see all around them or that they suffer personally. Meditating on the healing miracles of Jesus builds up one's faith in Jesus and becomes a source of encouragement for every believer. But then there is the Cross of Christ. In this Sunday's gospel, the account of the raising of Lazarus, we see lived out by Jesus' devout believers the challenge of the greatest of all evils, death. It is in this event that the mystery of the problem of evil is revealed. Let us examine the details of Lazarus death and how Jesus leads the people, and us, through the mystery. + Jesus loves Lazarus and His sisters Mary and Martha. If anyone deserves the touch of Jesus' healing hands it is Lazarist. + Jesus is informed of Lazarus' serious illness but deliberately delays going to him, waiting until he knew Lazarus would be dead. Jesus does this because he is going to disarm suffering and death of its power crush faith and hope in God's love. + The Quetion; Jesus, why? "If you had been here ..." Lazarus would be alive. The problem of evil solved. + The Answer: "Lazarus is not dead but sleeping - I am going to awaken him." Physical death is not the problem. Those who believe that all life offers is these few years of mixed blessings and making the best of them is what life is all about find no comfort in Jesus. But it is different for those who allow Jesus to take them into the mystery of why suffering, why death into the fuller picture in which death is scene as only a passage into the fulness of life. Jesus and his revelation now become the whole purpose of life. By calling Lazarus back from the sleep of the death Jesus demonstrates that death is not what is appears to be. Lazarus will again face his natural death but the life he will now be living will be filled with unshakable confidence that the fulness of life awaits him.  Dr. Pitre has an excellent commentary on today's gospel. >>>>> LINK <<<<<

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