I Am The Resurrection

Fifth Sunday of Lent Year A: 29th March 2020

Gospel John 11: 1–45 (abbreviated)

On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. When Martha heard that Jesus had come, she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother,’ said Jesus to her, ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’

Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who has come into this world.’

Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I know indeed that you always hear me, but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

Then he cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

Reflection

How do I feel as I settle to pray today? Whatever my feelings, I know the Lord accepts me as I am. I place myself in his hands and ask him to help me pray.

As I prepare to pray, I take the time to relax into God’s presence, breathing in his life and love.
When I am ready, I turn to this Gospel. I may prefer to take the whole text from my Bible or Missal and slowly absorb the drama and confrontation involved ... or I may stay with this abbreviated text.

What aspect strikes me most?

As I place myself in the scene, with whom or what do I identify most — with Martha’s faith, Jesus’s anguish, the doubtful crowd ...?

In what ways do I myself need to be unbound?

Or can I help others to be more free?

I speak to the Lord from my heart, and end with an ‘Our Father’.



From Prego, by our friends at St Beuno's Outreach. For further reflection on next Sunday's gospel, and the psalm, see Prego Plus