Fifth Sunday of Lent
April 2, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Ez 37:12-14 / Ps 130 / Rom 8:8-11 / Jn 11:1-45
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

A story is told of a devout old woman who, knowing she was about to die, asked her pastor to give her the last sacraments.  After being anointed, she said, “Soon I’ll be rocking in the bosom of Moses.” 

The priest corrected her and said, “No, dear, the Bible says ‘the bosom of Abraham.’”   

She replied, “Father, at my age, you don’t care too much whose bosom it is.” 

This lady may not know the exact wording of the scriptures, but she believes in life eternal, and that is what matters.  In the gospel we just heard, when Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise,” she responded, “I know.  He will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 

Martha had no problem believing in the resurrection happening at some future time, but perhaps she had a little difficulty believing in what Jesus could do at that very moment.  Whatever doubts she may have initially had, however, they were gone after Jesus raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.   

And how about Lazarus?  He was dead, and in the tomb for four days.   With just a few words from Jesus, he found himself walking, eating, and talking to his family and friends again. 

Though the sacred scripture does not provide more details on what Lazarus did after Jesus instructed him to come out of the tomb, he surely would have gone around telling everybody what Jesus had done for him.  It is not surprising, therefore, that those who considered Jesus their enemy would have also wished to kill Lazarus, because his life’s testimony made it easier for people to believe everything that Jesus said.  And despite his sister Martha’s firm belief in Jesus’ teachings about the resurrection on the last day, her faith would have been strengthened in the knowledge that Jesus was also the hope at that instant. 

In a moment, we will once again make our Profession of Faith.  We will recite the summary of what we believe as Christian Catholics.  Although at the end of the Nicene Creed each of us will say the words, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,” at the same time we firmly believe that Jesus is with us, right here, right now.  The Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead is the same Jesus whose Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity we will receive in Holy Communion.   He is the same Jesus in whom we put our faith and hope with the firm knowledge that He is with us at this very moment, as we look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.