Gospel Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Lent.

Sunday 2nd April – The hope and promise of new life

The gospel which we read and hear this fifth Sunday of Lent is the gospel that was read at my father’s funeral five years ago. On that day, it put before us as a family the fact and reality of death, but it also offered us the hope and promise of eternal life.

Surprisingly, when Jesus receives the news that his good friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha is sick and near to death, he does not rush to see him and comfort his family. He takes his time getting there.

However, on arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. As he approaches the house, Jesus is met by Martha who is less than happy to see her friend. Instead, she starts to give out to him! Even in the midst of sorrow and bereavement, she clearly says to Jesus, ‘if you have been here, my brother would not have died.’ And then she continues with deep faith and belief in Jesus and says, ‘but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ Even though she is angry with Jesus, she hasn’t given up on him completely. Jesus assures her that her brother will rise again and then he proclaims clearly, ‘I am the resurrection and the life, if anyone believes in me… will never die.’ After saying this, he looks directly at Martha and asks her, ‘Do you believe this?’ Without any hesitation, she replies, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Despite her loss, grief and pain, Martha is still able to have faith and confidence in Jesus as the Resurrection and the life who has come into the world.

I think gospel is like a sign-post that points and leads us to Holy Week. On Holy Thursday we will be asked to stand with Jesus as he is betrayed, denied. On Good Friday he will be condemned, beaten and crucified and he will die. There is no way of ignoring or avoiding the reality of the death of Jesus. But the cross is not our final destination. It is only a stage on our journey, not only through Lent, but in our lives too. With the women who stood by him, we too have stay at the cross before we experience the joy of the resurrection. On Good Friday, we are asked to experience the fact and reality of death. But we are also asked to have faith in Jesus as Martha did. As we take another step on our Lenten Jesus says to each of us, I am the resurrection and the life, do you believe this? Through this gospel, Jesus offers us the promise and hope of new and everlasting life.

Difficult as death and the loss of a family member or a friend is, we are asked not to lose faith in God. God will not abandon us at our time of need. We have this assurance in the first reading; I will put my spirit in you and you will live.

As we face the reality of Good Friday, let us also look towards the new life of Easter Sunday. Jesus is still the resurrection and the life, if we believe in him, we shall not die.

• Michael Moore OMI