Weekly Gospel Reflection

In this week’s Gospel, we start with learning of a man named Lazarus who is sick. Mary and her sister Martha are sent to look for Jesus. When they finally find him, he takes two days to go to Judea to see him. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus had been dead for four days.  At the tomb, Jesus declares “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me will live for all eternity.” He then calls for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus then comes out, in full funeral garments alive again. 

The miracle of Lazarus’ rising from the dead is the reported final miracle of Jesus. For John, who wrote the account, there are clear parallels between Lazarus and Jesus’ own death and resurrection in the not too distant future. This also marks the end of a chapter of Jesus’ ministry with Palm Sunday in next week’s Gospel. 

For us, we are challenged this week to reflect on our own lives and the importance of living in the moment. Are there times perhaps that you feel like time is just passing you by?  or that you are alive but not really living? We may also turn our attention to people who feel the ‘slowness of the clock’ with a sense of loneliness. May we spend this week reaching out to others and seizing the day! 

Reach out to a friend, go for a hike to a lookout, or make a special effort to spend time with your family. Make this week count! 

Call us out, O God.

From all those places where we hide from you and from each other.

Call us out from behind the walls be build

And, from the stereotypes to which we cling

And, from the assumptions and easy certainty

Which avoids the challenging questions which we face.

Call us out, O God.

To life.

To hope.

Towards your promised Kingdom meant for us and for all.

St John Vianney, 

Pray for us 

By Jonathan Rooney REL with excerpts from interestingliterature.com