(FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, 2011-04-09)
Introduction
In the beginning, God created men and women so that they may live, not for death. But death entered through man’s disobedience (cf. Gen 2: 17, Rm 5:12). See how death tried to rubbish the beauty of creation. And God began the process of redeeming man from death. Within this process came the moment of the law. Since only God can give life, the law was meant to unite us with God the source of life. The Israelites were warned to keep the law and live (Deut 30:15-20). But mere observance of the law could not bring them live. Moreover, they grossly disobeyed the law.
1st reading
The house of Israel was described as dry bones because of their transgressions of the law. By rejecting God, though they were breathing, the prophet addressed them as dry bones. But God promised to restore them to life by His Spirit.
2nd reading
The second reading reminds us that it is the Spirit that gives life. If our life is not guided by the Holy Spirit we are dead though we might be breathing. So we must allow the Spirit to make His home in us such that our interest is no longer in unspiritual things. This is how we are to know when the Sprit has made his home in us. How much interest do we have in spiritual things? How eager are we to contribute and advance the kingdom of God? We begin to understand here that when the Scriptures talk about death it is not merely bodily death but spiritual death.
Physical death is not the problem, yet we often work hard to avoid it; self-preservation. But how much effort do we put in to avoid spiritual death? Some people are spiritually dead; they can no longer perceive God. They have lost interest in things of God—their source of joy, strength and fulfilment no longer come from things of the spirit. The hunger to live which God has put in us exceeds physical life. It has its roots in the spiritual life.
Gospel
In the Gospel, our resurrection has come. In Lk 20:37-38 He is God not of the dead but the living. The Sadducees and Pharisees argued about the idea of the resurrection. But Jesus shows us today that the resurrection and the life is a person. So we no longer ask what is the resurrection and life but who is the resurrection and life. The issue is: do you believe?
Martha believed in the resurrection on the last day. At least it is easier to think of the resurrection when all has ended. If so Jesus would have said I will be the resurrection...! But how can He be the resurrection in the present to the living and the dead now? This is because He is the resurrection both of the body and the spirit. And we can be dead in spirit though our bodies live through not believing in Christ and living out our faith. Jesus is the one who restores our lives lost to sin. He is the Word spoken on dry bones and they live.
Jesus wept! Why weep when He knew He was going to raise Lazarus? He saw their tears and was greatly distressed because He had associated Himself with their pain and made it His own. He is the compassionate saviour who shares the miseries of His people.
In Jesus’ distress and tears we see His sadness for the fallen man; how man’s disobedience tried to destroy God’s beautiful work. We began to perceive the distress of God as Adam and Eve were being driven out of the Garden of Eden. But He is here to rescue man from death.
Jesus wept! He weeps for suffering humanity. In His tears we see the distress of God for man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. We see the tears of God when life is offered to us but we prefer death, the resurrection is given but we prefer to remain in the grave of sin. In His tears we see the agony of God for innocent blood shed everyday through abortion, violence or careless living.
Jesus wept not because Lazarus was dead, but because He felt the pain and agony of man, which man brought upon himself when God is offering peace and joy.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are asked today to believe in the Resurrection and life. If we believe, then we are one with Jesus. And if we are one with Jesus we cannot be smiling and partying while Jesus weeps. We too must associate ourselves with the suffering humanity everywhere. This is one of the things we are called to do this Lenten season. We associate with suffering humanity to offer them the hope of the Resurrection as Jesus did by raising Lazarus to life.
Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
REDEMEER HOUSE, IBADAN
9/04/2011
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