5th Sunday of Lent (Fr. Vinner)
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
Today the liturgy of the word invites us to reflect and to understand the meaning of the word ‘life’ and ‘death. The Gospel of John gives us a deeper insight and The Gospel of John has a symbol of Eagle, which has sharp eyes that can see for a long distance and it looks for its prey. In the Bible, the words ‘life’ and ‘death’ have got specific meaning. They do not merely refer to physical living or physical death. The word life refers to fullness of joy and happiness. It includes all positive aspects we seek, such as peace, joy happiness, truth, unity etc. The word ‘death’, on the other hand refers to all those aspects which do not allow us to experience this fullness of joy and happiness. Human life is constant struggle of choosing life over death.
In today’s first reading, the Israelites condition of living in Babylonia is compared to death. The southern kingdom of Judah was destroyed by Babylonians in the year 587 BCE and the Israelites were taken as captives to Babylonia. There they lived their lives as slaves. This is life of political slavery, social and economic alienation is compared to death. That is why the Lord spoke of their situation using the allegory of grave. The first twelve verses of the 37th chapter of Ezekiel speaks of the valley of dry bones.
Now it is important to note that the people of Judah knew very well that this political slavery, under the Babylonians, was the result of another type of slavery, which they voluntarily embraced when they were living in Judah. It was the slavery of sin.
In today’s second reading St.Paul speaks of this slavery to sin. He speaks of our bodies being dead because of sin. It worth of remember that in the parable of prodigal son returned after a life of sin, said, this son of mine was dead and is alive again” Lk 15:24.
In our human weakness and sinfulness, still God is there waiting for us to bring us out of death and lead us into new life. In the first reading, God says, “I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, o my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.” In the Gospel, John points out how Jesus destroys the physical death of Lazarus. St.Paul, says that Jesus also brings us out of our spiritual death.
How God brings us out of death, we understand that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that God works in us so that we move from death to life. “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live” are the words, uttered by Yahweh to the Israelites through the prophet. The same point is repeated by St. Paul that if we become aware of the presence of the spirit of God in us, then we all belong to Christ and through that Spirit, God offers us new life.
It is an undeniable fact that each one of us is, in some way or another, under the slavery of sin. It is also true that many of us genuinely try to come out of it and embrace life that Jesus offers. In this Eucharistic celebration Let us offer ourselves to Jesus so that he can rise us up from clutches of sins and he will grant us new life that is filled with happiness and joy.
Life messages:
1) “Roll away the stone, unbind him and let him go.” We often bind ourselves with chains of addiction to alcohol, drugs, sexual deviations, slander, gossip, envy, prejudices, hatred and uncontrollable anger and bury ourselves in the tombs of despair. Sometimes we are in the tomb of selfishness, filled with negative feelings such as worry, fear, resentment, hatred, and guilt. If we want Jesus to visit our dark dungeons of sin, despair and unhappiness, let us ask Jesus during this Holy Mass to bring the light and the power of the Holy Spirit into our private life and liberate us from our tombs. Are there times when we refuse to let God enter into our wallets, fearing that faithful tithing will endanger our savings? When we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Jesus will call our name and command, “Come out”! This is good news for all of us: “Lazarus, come out!” This can be the beginning of a new life.
2) We need to be ready to welcome death any time. We live in a world that is filled with death. We kill each other in 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 physical neglect. The most important question is: am I ready to face my death? All of us know that we will surely die, but each of us foolishly thinks that he or she will not die any time in the near future. Let us be wise, well-prepared and ever ready to meet our Lord with a clear conscience when the time comes.
May God Bless us all.
Fr. S. Vinner HGN.