Jesus did not hide his affection.
The story of the resurrection Lazarus is amazing. On the one hand, never presents Jesus as human, fragile and intimate as this time he killed one of his best friends. On the other hand, we are never so directly invited to believe in their power to save: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he die, shall live ... Do you believe this? "
Jesus did not hide his affection for these three brothers from Bethany that will surely welcome him into your house whenever it comes to Jerusalem. One day Lazarus falls ill and his sisters sent a message to Jesus, our brother "who both want" is sick. When Jesus come into the village, Lazarus is four days buried. And nobody can restore life. The family is broken. When presented Jesus, Mary breaks to mourn. No one can comfort. Seeing the tears of his friend, Jesus can not be contained and he begins to mourn. It breaks her heart to feel the helplessness of all before death. Who will comfort us?
There is in us a craving for life. We spent the days and years struggling to live. We cling to science and, above all, to medicine to prolong the biological life, but always reaches a final disease that no one can heal.
Nor would we live this life forever. It would be horrible old world, full of old men and women, each time with less space for young people, a world in which life is not renewed. What we envisage is a different life, without pain or old age, without hunger or war, a fully happy life for all.
Today we live in a society that has been described as "a society of uncertainty" (Z. Bauman). Never had man so much power to move towards a happier life. And yet, perhaps never felt so helpless in the face an uncertain future and threatening. What can we expect?
Like humans of all time, we also we are surrounded by darkness. What is life? What is death? How do you live? How do you die? Before raising Lazarus, Jesus tells Martha that those words are for all his followers a critical challenge: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in me will live even if he dies ... Do you believe this? "
Despite doubts and darkness, Christians believe in Jesus, Lord of life and death. Only it look light and strength to fight for life and face death. Only hope he found a life beyond life.
Introduction.
Who has not experienced death? As Easter personal touch us all at one time or another. But as the experience of others, we all have felt. Near or far. In a relative or friend. In natural disasters or wars that bring us every day the media. Death as a reality that catches us unawares, suddenly from nowhere or slow process that affects us when we see that the years or the disease we are shortening the life forces and limiting.
Death is there. Always present. As much as our culture makes us live the illusion of being forever young, strong and handsome. As much as we try hard in health care based on good food, sports and follow all the advice that doctors can imagine. 's all about holding on to life. In this life, we think that is all we have. Although we note that, as the sand of the beach, we slipped through the fingers of the hand without being able to do anything or know for sure how much sand we have fingers. I recall the joke about the priest who attends to the dying words of consolation: "Look, son, you have to have confidence because you're going to the Father's house." And the dying man replied: "Will you say what you want, but as in one's home anywhere. "It's a joke but it reflects great love for life that we all have. Could not be otherwise because it is the greatest gift we have and the believers are convinced that it is a gift we have received from God.
face of death and life
In Lent, a time to meet our deepest reality, could not miss a moment to do this before our eyes in death and therefore life. And, as believers, to those realities in relation to God, in God's presence. A story that invites us this Sunday's Gospel. The resurrection of Lazarus suddenly puts us face death and see Jesus react to it. The first thing to observe is Jesus. We see him moved. We will mourn for the death of his friend (three times in the text says that Jesus weeps.)
But we also see that Jesus has put their trust in him. And that trust goes beyond the limits that we seem insurmountable. The friend died. Jesus feels the pain in all its rawness. But that pain does not paralyzed. Do not give in to the darkness that is death. The evangelist puts into the mouth of Jesus a phrase that would be repeated many times because it focuses our Christian life: "I am the resurrection and the life." There is no scientific data. Nothing can be tested empirically. It is an affirmation of faith and faith. God is the creator of life and will not let their creatures dissolve into nothingness. God is thus not dependent on whether we believe or not. So. That's it. But if we believe in it, then we will live our life and death and the death of others from a different perspective. As stated in the first reading, God will infuse your spirit and live. Us out of our graves and will lead to the promised land.
Committed to life of all
We're still here, certainly. We are still surrounded by death, continually threatening our lives. But faith makes us look beyond, offers a broader perspective. We do live in trust and hope. By relating to life in all its forms, we know that is not expected to dissolve, to disappear, but to reach their fulfillment in God.
say this, believe this, we can not remain in a state of passivity. We are committed to caring for life, to defend, to promote it, to return their dignity wherever it is lost. Remember Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she opened the house to welcome the dying lay on the streets. Did not mean back to life but it died with the dignity it deserves a person, a child of God. From this perspective, belief in the God of Life will take us to defend justice, promote brotherhood, love those around us, to care for each other, because we are all God's gift. Today we live in the Spirit of God (second reading). He enlivens us and makes us share that life with everyone. No disease that ends with death. To God there is no basket case. The house of God is my house, our house, the real and true family home to which we are called to belong. While we are here, by the way, we are committed to walk together, not to lose anyone. Because we are all God's family. And God expects us all at the finish.
reading from the holy Gospel according to John (11,3-7.17.20-27.33 b-45):
At that time, the sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying: "Sir, your friend is sick." Jesus heard it, said: "This sickness will not end in death but for the glory of God, the Son of God may be glorified through it. "
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. When he learned he was sick, he abode two days still where I was.
Only then tells his disciples: "Let us go back to Judea."
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been four days buried. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him, while Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus: "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that everything you ask of God, God will give you. "
Jesus said," Your brother will rise. "
Martha said," I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day. "
Jesus says: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he die, shall live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? "
She replied:" Yes, Lord: I think you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who had come into the world. "
Jesus wept, and very shocked, asked:" Where have you laid him? "
They said, 'Lord, come see . '
Jesus began to mourn. The Jews said, "how he loved him!"
But some said: "And one that has opened my eyes to a blind, could not have prevented it die?"
Jesus, crying again, comes to the tomb. It was a cave with a slab.
Jesus says: "Take away the stone."
Martha, the sister of the dead, he says: "Lord, smells bad, because it takes four days. "
Jesus says:" Have not I said if you think you will see the glory of God? "
Then they took away the stone.
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, 'Father, I thank you for hearing me, I know you always hear me, but I say the people around me, to believe that you sent me. "
And with that he cried with a loud voice," Lazarus, come out. "
The dead man came out, hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped in a shroud.
Jesus said, "Untie and let him go. "
And many Jews who had come to Mary, seeing what he had done, believed in him.
The dead man came out, hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped in a shroud.
Jesus said, "Untie and let him go. "
And many Jews who had come to Mary, seeing what he had done, believed in him.
Word of the Lord
COMMENT.
We
V on Sunday of Lent, on the way to the Lord's Passover. We are preparing to live better the central events of our faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus.
To better prepare, the last three Sundays have a baptismal content, invite us to live our baptism:
third Sunday of Lent we had the text of the Samaritan who put Jesus as the Living Water, the only one who can truly satisfy the wishes of happiness to all of us. The water in baptism has the primary role of removing the original sin.
The fourth Sunday of Lent presents Jesus healing a blind man, in that celebration presented Jesus as the light of the world, the only one that can illuminate what is in the darkness of sin. Light plays an important role in baptism is expressed in the paschal candle, representing the presence of Jesus Christ, risen, in the midst of his Church. It is the light of faith.
fifth Sunday of Lent gives us the text the resurrection of Lazarus, which presents Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Jesus is the only one who can make our life be full here on earth and in heaven is eternal. This text presents the resurrection of Lazarus' resurrection as an ultimate reality, because Lazarus die again, but as a new life that Christ communicates. Listen later (if we are to celebrate Mass) in the preface of the Eucharist: "Jesus Christ ... today extends its sympathy to all men and through the sacraments restore them to a new life."
The sacrament of baptism tells us a New Life: Being Children of God:
A New Life is the divine life itself. That is, in the sacrament of baptism is to us the very life of God, your love, your values, the gospel of the Beatitudes.
a new life that is within us as a seed, that has to grow up to become a reality in our thoughts, our choices, our work in daily life.
a new life that grows from the inside to out with our collaboration. I think the Pope once said that not all Christians are baptized, that is, not all who are baptized by living consistently received the sacrament. For the encounter with Jesus given in baptism to fruition, the person who has received the sacrament has to try to respond to God's invitation: From personal experience, training, prayer, reading of the Gospels ..., from the celebration of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and penance, from daily life commitment to God's criteria: justice, brotherhood, solidarity ... are the criteria that govern society. It is also true that being a Christian is a wide range in the staff of life process. These days we have had confirmations. A mother tells her son: "If you do not see what the Church says, do not confirm" what the child replied: "As I grow in other things, it also will grow. "Copy, right? also note that not all baptized have this approach to growth. There are many stagnant.
a new life which will reach its fullness in heaven. We sons of God through the sacrament of baptism, but we will be like God when we are in heaven.
has the first reading the prophet Ezekiel encouraged his people in exile to return to the promised land and did so a comparison with the output of the tomb, he was to start a new life, new life that can compare to the new life also gained baptism: "I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, my people ... And when you open your graves and bring you up from your graves, my people, know that I am the Lord: I will put my spirit will live. "
May the Lord help us to live our baptism, we help you experience the divine life which we are already participating!
Sources: Divine Lighting
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Joseph A. Pagola
Pedro Crespo Fernando Arias
Pérez Torres
cmf Angel Corbalán
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