Cycle A 5th Sunday of Lent
9 March 2008
From Death into Life
Ezekiel 37: 12-14.
The prophet Ezekiel had a vision about the end of Israel's exile. The dry bones of Israel's hope will be given new life. They will return home to their land.
Psalm 130: 1-8.
God is full of mercy and kindness.
Romans 8: 1-11.
The Spirit is in us and we are in the Spirit. Paul says this means that death itself is dead. The new life of the Spirit overpowers death.
John 11: 1-45.
Jesus, now in Galilee, receives the news that his friend Lazarus is dying near Jerusalem. Because of his love for the family, Jesus returns to the hostile city with the intention of bringing new life to Lazarus. He knows that he himself will die. Jesus is supported in his decision by his disciples who go along with him.
As our Liturgy of the Word opens today Israel is dead. The nation of Israel has been captured by the Babylonians. The people are in exile, the temple is destroyed, All their hope is gone. They feel abandoned by God.
The prophet EZEKIEL is with his people. They are exiled in Babylon. He shares their feelings of hopelessness and defeat. But Ezekiel has a vision. He sees a bunch of bones in the desert. These bones are very dry – they are really dead – they are dried-up dead. The dry bones represent the hopes of Israel. They are dead. There is no life in them. They are buried and in the grave.
But God has another plan. Today’s reading tells us that Ezekiel’s vision ends with God’s promise of new life. God will breathe his spirit of life into the bones. Israel will be raised from the grave. They will once again be God’s people. This time they will have the very breath of God’s life powering them. Ezekiel says this new life will be powered by God’s own Spirit.
We respond to Ezekiel’s prophecy today with PSALM 130. We know how it is to feel hopeless and abandoned sometimes. It’s those times we rely on God’s mercy and forgiveness. When it seems that all is lost, we ask God for new life and a return to happiness. We trust in God’s mercy and kindness.
New life is Paul’s message today to the ROMANS and to us. For Paul being in the flesh means being into those things in life that will pass away – those things that you can’t take with you. You know, all your stuff. All the things we sometimes think are important – like fame and fortune and power and position and our stuff. Paul says that what really gives us life and happiness is our spirit - God’s spirit living in us. God’s own breath of life in us is what powers our life. Without it we are dead – just as dead as Ezekiel’s dry bones.
But with God’s Spirit we are alive and freed from death. This means we will never die. Our bodies will die but our spirit will always live. We will always live, Saint Paul says, because Christ was given new life – resurrection – through God’s Spirit. The risen Christ gives us that same spirit in Baptism.
So Paul tells us today that spirit-life is a share in God’s own life and therefore cannot be ended by physical death. The most important life-giving moment is Baptism from which everything else flows.
Today we have yet another long reading from the GOSPEL by JOHN. Last week it was the theme of Light, today it is the theme of Life. So far this Lent we have been to two mountains – the mountain of temptation and the mountain of the transfiguration. We have joined Jesus on the road to Jerusalem and stopped with him at two watering holes – Jacob’s well and the pool of Siloam. Today we join Jesus for his final journey to Jerusalem.
In John’s Gospel Jesus has been to Jerusalem twice before. He and his disciples know it is a dangerous city for them. Today he is asked to return to the area. Jesus’ friend Lazarus is dying and his sisters ask Jesus for help.
Now Bethany is just outside Jerusalem and the disciples remind Jesus about how dangerous it would be to go there. At first he hesitates, but because of his love for his friends, Jesus makes the decision to return to Bethany. Thomas talks the other disciples into going along with Jesus – again out of love.
When they get there they find that Lazarus is dead. He’s been in the grave for four days – he is dead-dead. Just like Ezekiel’s bones. With the power of the Spirit Jesus calls Lazarus to new life. And Lazarus comes out of the tomb all tied up with burial bands. But these bindings of death can no longer hold him. Jesus un-wraps him and sets him free from death. Jesus gives him new life.
Baptism frees us from death, too. The death of the world’s sin is un-wrapped and we are liberated from its hold. We are given the new life of God’s Spirit. And, as Saint Paul reminds us, we are powered by the Spirit of God and guaranteed immortality. Our bodies will die but our spirit is now alive with God’s Spirit and will live forever.
It’s an amazing gift – this gift of spirit-powered life. God gives it to us out of love. Jesus went to Jerusalem out of his love for Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He figured he would die there. Jesus was willing to risk his life in order to give life to Lazarus. The disciples were willing to risk their lives because of their love for Jesus.
Love generates life. The Holy Spirit comes to us through Christ’s love. The Spirit generates new life in us. It begins with Baptism. It is strengthened in Confirmation. And it is nourished with the Eucharist.
Baptism is a decision to follow Christ. It is a decision to take the risk of loving. If you were baptized as an infant that decision was made for you by your parents and Godparents. When you were older you confirmed that decision in another sacrament. Are you living your decision?
That decision gives you new life. It also involves taking the risk of love. Opening yourself to love also opens you to the risk of pain. You may be misunderstood. You may be rejected. You may be ridiculed for your values. But without love you are as dead as Ezekiel’s bones. With love you are alive with the new life of God’s spirit just like Lazarus.
Beginning next week we will hear the whole story.
Till then, remember - love generates life. Live your decision. Live your baptism. Love one another. The Church recommends this – Jesus insists on it.
Think about it, pray about it.
NOTE:
To read the Sunday readings on line for the The 5th Sunday of Lent click on the following link - or copy it to your browser's address bar.
http://www.usccb.org/nab/030908.shtml
To listen to the readings on line go to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' podcast. To get there click the following link - or copy it to your browser's address bar. You will need to scroll down on the right side of the window to find the correct date.
http://www.podcastalley.com/player/player.php?pod_id=43329
