Fifth Sunday of Lent
Daily Prayer
Loving God, out of love for the world, You handed Your Son over to death. Your Son redeemed us by dying and rising to life again. Help us, both believers and non-believers, see that death is no longer the end of everything, but rather the first step we must take to achieve true life. Help us show others our faith in life is a sign of hope in the world. Amen
Scripture Readings
Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45
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Scripture Quote
John 11:25-26
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
Reflection
The Word of God on this Fifth Sunday of Lent speaks to us about life. Jesus identifies Himself with life and promises a share in this life to all who believe in him. “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus solemnly declares to Martha as she announces that her brother Lazarus had died. Jesus adds, “Do you believe this?”
This question from Jesus to Martha is also addressed to each one of us. Do we really believe that Jesus is our life even after our own death? If we believe it, we will necessarily have to change our attitude not only towards death, but also towards life.
By believing that Jesus is the Resurrection and the life, we no longer see death as the end of everything, but rather the first step we must take to achieve true life. But more than this: from our faith, we already share in the life of Jesus here on earth; a new life leads us to the commitment to fight against everything that has a sign of death. Thus, our faith in life becomes a sign of hope in the world.
Reflection Questions
Do I see death as the end? Or as a beginning?
Am I a sign of hope in the world? How can I make myself more so?
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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