Fifth Sunday of Lent – John 11: 1-45
In today’s Gospel from the Gospel of John, we hear one of the most powerful and emotional moments in all of Scripture – the raising of Lazarus. Jesus is told that His friend is sick. But instead of going right away, He waits. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha meets Him and says words that are filled with both faith and pain: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Mary says the same thing. You can hear the heartbreak in their voices – but also their faith. They still come to Jesus. They still believe. And then we see something extraordinary. Jesus does not immediately fix the situation. He does not immediately perform the miracle. First … He weeps.
Jesus enters / into their sorrow. He stands with them / in their grief. He shares / in their pain. And only then does He go to the tomb and call out: “Lazarus, come out!” And the man who was dead walks out of the tomb.
But this Gospel is not just about Lazarus. It is about / trusting Jesus even when we do not understand what He is doing. Why did Jesus wait? … … Why didn’t He come sooner? … … Because / He was revealing something deeper: that He is not only healer – He is / the Resurrection and the Life.
Earlier this week, we heard another story in the Gospel of John – the royal official / whose son was dying. But Jesus did not go. Instead, He simply said: “You may go; your son will live.” And that royal official had a choice. To doubt … or to trust.
The Gospel tells us: “The man believed what Jesus said to him / and left.” He trusted the word of Jesus before he saw the result.
My brothers and sisters, I saw that same kind of faith / this week. My twin brother Don/ is in the hospital right now. Last Saturday, very suddenly, he became completely disoriented. He didn’t know where he was, / he didn’t recognize anyone … and the doctors / didn’t have answers. There came a moment / when I didn’t know what / was going to happen. So, I left and went to the 4:00 Mass. And there, I prayed – I asked the Lord to help my brother, to heal him. But more than that … something happened within me. A deep calm / came over me. A sense / of peace.
And in that moment, I knew – not how, / not when – / but I knew that my brother / was in the hands / of Jesus. I trusted that the Lord had heard my prayer. And as I was returning to the hospital, I received a message: my brother had come out of it … just as suddenly / as it began. That is the kind of faith / we see in today’s readings. The royal official trusted the word of Jesus / before he saw the healing. Martha and Mary trusted Jesus even in their grief / and confusion. And we / are invited / to that same trust. To believe / that even when God seems delayed… even when / we do not understand … even when / we stand before something / that feels like a tomb … Jesus is still at work.
Because / He is not only present / in our good moments. He is present / in our suffering. … … He is present / in our waiting. … … He is present / even at the tomb. … … And He speaks the same words into our lives: “Come out.” … … Come out / of fear. … … Come out / of doubt. … … Come out / of whatever holds you bound. … … As we continue our Lenten journey, we are invited / to deepen our trust in the Lord – to trust / not only when we see His works, but even before we see them. … … To trust / His word. … … To trust / His timing. … … To trust / His love. … … Because / the same Jesus / who called Lazarus from the tomb … and the same Jesus / who healed the royal official’s son … is the same Jesus / who walks with us, hears our prayers, and holds our lives – and the lives of those we love – in His hands.
AMEN.