Dear brothers and sisters, death is an experience that every human person must face, and the loss of a loved one often brings deep sorrow and tears. In today’s Gospel, we hear about the illness and death of Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus. When Jesus was first told that Lazarus was sick, He remained where He was for two more days. Then, when He decided to go to Bethany, He told His disciples plainly, “Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe” (Jn 11:14-15). After arriving, Jesus performed the great miracle of raising Lazarus, who had been in the tomb for four days. The Gospel concludes by telling us that many of the Jews who witnessed this sign came to believe in Him.
The first reading deepens this message of hope. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God speaks to His people in exile, saying: “I will open your graves and have you rise from them.” (Ez37:12) This promise was first addressed to a people who felt lost and without hope, as if they were already dead. Yet God assures them that He has the power to restore life and bring them back to Himself. This promise finds its fullest meaning in Jesus, who truly opens the tomb and restores life to Lazarus, and who promises new life to each one of us. The second reading reminds us how this new life becomes real in us. Saint Paul tells us that if the Spirit of God dwells in us, then the One
who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies. We are not meant to live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. This means that even now, before physical death, we are called to live a new life freed from sin, guided by God’s Spirit, and filled with hope in the resurrection.
The Gospel of Saint John is written to lead us to faith in Jesus and to show us what it means to believe in Him. In this story, Martha stands out as a model of faith. In the midst of her grief, she makes a profound profession of faith: “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” Jesus reveals to her and to all of us that He is the source of life, not only physical life, but eternal life. He declares, “I am the resurrection and the life” ((Jn 11:25). This means that those who believe in Him are not overcome by death, but are given the promise of new and everlasting life. Jesus also shows Himself to be a faithful and compassionate
friend. He does not remain distant from human suffering; He enters into it. He weeps with Martha and Mary, sharing in their sorrow, yet He also brings them hope. In the same way, Jesus does not leave us alone in our moments of pain and loss. He is present to us through His love, through our faith, and through the support of the Christian community. At the same time, He calls us to trust in Him more deeply. “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us learn to turn to the Lord in every circumstance, especially in times of sorrow and uncertainty. Let us pray with confidence, believe firmly in His promises, and abandon ourselves into His loving care. For in Jesus Christ, death is not the end, but the passage to new life. Amen
Scripture Readings:
Ez 37:12–14 • Ps 130 • Rom 8:8–11 • Jn 11:1–45