Reflections for the 5th Sunday of Lent!
The focus of this Sunday’s reading is the resurrection. There are 5 Sundays in our Lenten Journey before we begin the Holy Week. The first Sunday we reflected on the temptation of Jesus. The second Sunday the transfiguration of Jesus. The third Sunday the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. The fourth Sunday the story of Jesus healing the blind man. Today, the fifth Sunday, the story of Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life after 4 days of his death.
Next Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday, which is the beginning of the Holy Week. In all these Sundays we see and experience a gradual growth and progression leading to the death and resurrection of Christ which we are going to recollect and relive in our personal lives in the following week by celebrating Holy Week which leads to the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is the focus of Christian faith. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans. Chapter; “If there is no resurrection there is no meaning and purpose in our faith”
We live in a world that promotes a culture of death, by acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war, and terrorist activities. We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and even physical neglect.
In the first reading we see, the Prophet Ezekiel sharing his vision with the intention of motivating and reanimating the people of Israel who were in Babylonian captivity who experienced depression, purposeless, and meaninglessness in their daily lives. The prophet assured them of a time when they will be able to return to their promised land and rebuild their temple, city and lives.
In the second reading, St. Paul motivates and strengthens the Christians who were undergoing persecution and death, assuring them that the same spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, who dwells in each one of us, will raise our mortal bodies on the last day.
The gospel reading assures us that our faith in Jesus, who raised Lazarus from the dead, is also the resurrection and life and raise us up on the last day.
We live in a world that promotes a culture of death, by acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war, and terrorist activities. We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and even physical neglect.
The reality of our daily life is just like that of Lazarus, who was tied hand and foot with burial band; we too are buried with hands and feet tied with burial bands in our own little tombs; the tombs of additions to alcohol, drugs, sexual deviations, slander, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred, racism, uncontrollable anger, etc. Every time when we receive a sacrament, especially the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the Lord is asking each of us like Lazarus to come out of our own little tombs. The difference of you and I compared to Lazarus is that Lazarus was willing to come out of his tomb. Unfortunately, we like to cling on to our own inclinations and remain stuck in our own on little tombs; because we enjoy those inclinations and are unwilling to come out of them.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, let us remind ourselves that death is an inevitable reality in everyone’s life and it can come at any time any day. Covid-19 is invading us irrespective of our age, creed, color, culture, nationality and boundaries. It even invades the innocent infants born in the hospitals and homes! We have no guarantee and assurance of the day and time. Unless we are willing to obey Jesus, like Lazarus and willing to come out of our own tombs, we cannot expect a resurrection with Christ who is the resurrection himself. May God bless us all. Amen
Fr Tomy Puliyan, MSFS
Uplifting. Thank you for the timely reminder of not letting ourselves be tied with the burial band.