Sunday
22 March 2026- V Sunday in Lent (A)
Mass
Readings: Ezek 37:12-14
Ps 130 Rom 8:8-11 Jn 11:1-45
Key
Verse to Meditate: When he had said this, he cried with a
loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (Jn 11:43).
Dear Brothers and Sisters
in the Lord,
The fifth Sunday in Lent,
the Word of God invites us to move from the life of the flesh to the life of
the Spirit. The three readings remind us that God is the Lord of life. He opens
the graves of despair, calls us out of the tomb of sin, and fills us with His
Spirit. During this season of Lent, we are invited to hear the voice of Christ
calling us, just as he called Lazarus, to leave behind the darkness of sin and
rise to a new life of grace in Him. Today’s Gospel beautifully connects with
the first reading from Ezekiel, where God promises the exiled people: “I
will open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people” (Ez
37:12–14). What God promised through the prophet becomes visible in the action
of Jesus, who calls Lazarus out of the tomb.
The First Reading – Ezekiel
and the Vision of Dry Bones
The first reading is taken
from the prophet Ezekiel, whose name means “God strengthens” (Ez
1:3; 24:24). He stands among the great prophets of Israel, alongside Isaiah and
Jeremiah, and in the prophetic tradition of Elijah and Elisha. Ezekiel
continues the prophetic mission after Jeremiah and inherits a rich legacy of
classical prophecy. He was a prophet of the exilic period (593–570 BCE)
and ministered during one of the darkest and most decisive moments in Israel’s
history, particularly during the reign of King Jehoiachin (2 Kgs 24:14). The
catastrophic event that shaped his ministry was the fall of Jerusalem in 587
BCE, when the people of Judah were taken into exile in Babylon.
Part of today’s reading
comes from the famous vision of the valley of dry bones (Ez 37), which
speaks powerfully about the restoration of the people of Israel after the
exile. In Ezekiel 37:1–14, the prophet sees a vision of lifeless bones
scattered across a valley. God gathers the bones together, binds them with
sinews, covers them with flesh and skin, and finally breathes His spirit into
them so that they come back to life. This vision is not primarily about
personal resurrection but about the national restoration and revival of
Israel, a people who felt completely destroyed and without hope. The
following verses (Ez 37:15–28) speak about the reunion of the northern and
southern kingdoms, showing that in God’s plan Israel and Judah will once
again become one people (37:15–22).
In the interpretation of
the vision (vv.11–14), the bones represent the house of Israel. The
people cry out in despair with a triple lament: “Our bones are dried up, our
hope is lost, and we are cut off completely” (v.11). God responds to each
of these cries with a promise of hope:
- “Our bones are dry” — “I
will open your graves” (v.12).
- “Our hope is gone” — “I
will raise you from your graves” (v.13).
- “We are done for” — “I
will bring you back to your land and put my Spirit within you” (v.14).
The phrase “I will raise
you up” in verse 12 literally means “I will make you go up.” This
expression echoes the language of the Exodus, where God leads His people
up from Egypt to the Promised Land (Ex 1:10; 13:18). Thus, the prophet
announces a New Exodus (cf. Ez 20:32–34). The life-giving spirit
mentioned in verse 14 is the Spirit of the Lord Himself (cf. Ez 36:27),
pointing toward the promise of a New Covenant, similar to what the
prophet Jeremiah proclaims in Jeremiah 31:31–34, though expressed in different
words.
The Second Reading – Life
in the Spirit (Rom 8:8–11)
In the second reading, St.
Paul, writing to the Romans, reminds the Christian community that “those who
are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:8). Here the word flesh
does not simply refer to the human body but to a way of life dominated by
selfishness and self-centred desires. It describes those whose lives are guided
by their fallen human nature, whose ambitions and decisions revolve only around
themselves. Such a life ultimately leads away from God and ends in spiritual
destruction. Those who allow their lives to be ruled by this fallen nature
become hostile to God and resistant to His will (cf. Rom 12:2; 14:18; 1 Cor
7:32; 2 Cor 5:9; Eph 5:10; Col 3:20).
However, St. Paul reminds
the Roman Christians that their lives are not meant to be governed by the
flesh but by the Spirit of God. Through faith in Christ, justification, and
baptism, they have entered into a new way of life. They no longer belong to the
realm of the flesh but to the realm of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 3:16). Paul
strongly emphasizes that belonging to Christ necessarily means possessing
the Spirit, because every Christian is indwelt by the Spirit of God.
Paul then speaks about the indwelling
presence of the Spirit and of Christ. After stating that the Spirit dwells
within believers (v.9), he goes on to say that Christ himself is in them
(v.10). This shows the deep connection between Christ and the Spirit. In fact,
Paul closely identifies the Spirit with the risen and glorified Christ (cf. Rom
8:9; 2 Cor 3:17). Through the indwelling of the Spirit, Christ himself lives
within believers. Thus, the presence of the Spirit is the way in which Christ
continues to dwell in the hearts of his followers.
In verse 11, Paul addresses
an important question. Even though Christ dwells in believers through the
Spirit, they still experience physical death because of the reality of sin in
the world. Yet Paul offers a powerful assurance of hope: “If the Spirit of
Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus
from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who
dwells in you” (Rom 8:11). The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now
lives in believers and becomes the guarantee of their future resurrection.
In this way, Paul highlights the close connection between the resurrection of
Christ and the resurrection of Christians (cf. 1 Cor 6:14; 15:20, 23; 2 Cor
4:14; Phil 3:21; 1 Thes 4:14). Christ was raised as the head of a new
humanity, and those who belong to him will also share in his resurrection. What
Ezekiel proclaimed as a prophetic vision becomes a visible reality in the
action of Christ, and St. Paul assures us that the same life-giving Spirit that
raised Jesus will also raise us.
The Gospel – The Raising of
Lazarus (Jn 11:1–45)
The Gospel passage presents
the powerful story of the raising of Lazarus, one of the great “signs”
narrated by St. John. Through these signs, John reveals the true identity of
Jesus. In this event, Jesus is shown as the victor over death, and the
narrative reaches its climax when Jesus declares: “I am the resurrection and
the life. Whoever believes in me, even though he dies, will live; and everyone
who lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn 11:25–26).
The belief that God has
power over death already appears in the later writings of the Old Testament. In
the first reading of today, we see how prophet
Ezekiel speaks of the vision of the dry bones, symbolizing the
restoration of Israel after the catastrophe of exile (Ez 37:1–14). Isaiah
proclaims that God will one day destroy death forever and wipe away the tears
from every face (Is 25:8). The Book of Daniel also announces that many who
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and others
to shame (Dn 12:2). Yet the Gospel goes beyond these future hopes. In Jesus,
the resurrection is not only a promise for the future but a present reality,
because He himself is “the resurrection and the life” (Jn 11:25).
Whoever believes in Him already shares in the life that death cannot destroy.
Lazarus as the Image of the Sinner would stay in their home.
The evangelist tells us that the sisters sent word to Jesus: “Lord, he whom
you love is ill.” Surprisingly, Jesus does not go immediately but remains
where he is for two more days. As Easter approaches, the Church invites us to
meditate on this great sign, which also foreshadows the resurrection of Jesus
himself. The Gospel tells us that Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of
Martha and Mary, was seriously ill. Jesus loved this family dearly, and whenever
he was in Jerusalem he days. He explains that the illness will not end in death
but will serve to reveal the glory of God, so that through it the Son of
God may be glorified.
After this delay, Jesus
decides to return to Judea. The disciples are concerned because the authorities
had recently tried to stone him, but Jesus replies that he must accomplish the
work entrusted to him by the Father while there is still time. He then tells
them: “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to awaken him”
(Jn 11:11). When the disciples misunderstand his words, Jesus speaks plainly: “Lazarus
is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.
But let us go to him.”
Many of the Church Fathers saw Lazarus as a
symbol of the human person trapped in sin. John Chrysostom preached that Jesus
delayed his coming so that the miracle would be unmistakable: “He allowed death
to come, so that the resurrection might be more clearly seen.” In another
reflection, St. Augustine interpreted the four days Lazarus spent in the tomb
as a symbol of how sin can become deeply rooted in human life. Yet even when
Lazarus had already begun to decay, the voice of Christ still reached him.
No matter how long we have remained in spiritual darkness, the call of
Christ can still bring us back to life.
Faith before the Miracle
When Jesus arrives at
Bethany, Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. Martha goes out to
meet him and says with deep faith and sorrow: “Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of
God, God will give you.” Martha expresses her belief in the future
resurrection of the dead. Jesus then leads her to a deeper understanding by
revealing his identity: “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn 11:25).
Jesus spoke these words to Martha before
raising Lazarus from the dead, promising that those who believe in him will
live even if they die. When he asks, “Do you believe this?” Martha makes a profound
confession of faith: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son
of God, the one who is coming into the world” (Jn 11:27). Benedict
XVI reflected in a Lenten Angelus message: “Jesus does not simply give life; He
himself is the Resurrection and the Life.” The miracle is not only about
Lazarus. It is about revealing who Jesus truly is. Faith in Christ already
gives us a share in eternal life.
The Tears
of Jesus: God’s Compassion for Human Suffering
Soon Mary also comes to
Jesus and falls at his feet weeping: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother
would not have died.” Seeing her sorrow and the grief of the crowd, Jesus
is deeply moved and bursts into tears: Jesus Wept (Jn 11:35). This is
the shortest verse in the Bible. This touching moment shows the humanity of
Jesus. He shares in the pain of those who mourn, and his tears reveal the depth
of his love for Lazarus. Those present remark: “See how he loved him!”
One of the most touching moments in the Gospel is
the short but profound verse: “Jesus wept” (Jn 11:35). Augustine of
Hippo reflected on this scene in his sermons: “Jesus wept as a man, but raised
Lazarus as God.”
St. Augustine explains that the tears of Jesus
reveal his true humanity. Christ is not distant from our suffering; he
shares in our pain and sorrow. Yet the same Jesus who weeps also commands
death itself. For Lent, this reminds us that Christ enters into the sorrow
of our broken lives. He sees our struggles, our sins, and our fears—but he does
not leave us there. His compassion always leads toward new life.
“Lazarus, Come Out!” – The Voice
that Breaks the Tomb
Still deeply moved, Jesus
goes to the tomb and asks that the stone be removed. Looking up to heaven, he
prays to the Father, giving thanks for being heard. His prayer is spoken aloud
so that those around him may believe that he has been sent by the Father. Then
Jesus cries out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man comes
out, his hands and feet bound with burial cloths and his face wrapped in a
cloth. Lazarus, who had been dead and buried, emerges from the tomb, and this
miracle becomes a sign that points toward the resurrection of Jesus himself.
Points for Personal reflection
The Gospel of the raising of Lazarus (Jn
11:1–45) is one of the most powerful passages for reflection during Lent,
because it reveals Jesus as the Lord of life, the one who calls humanity
out of the tomb of sin and death. The Church Fathers and recent Popes have
often meditated on this miracle as a symbol of spiritual resurrection.
The
raising of Lazarus speaks directly to our Lenten journey.
- Like
the dry bones in Ezekiel, our faith can sometimes become lifeless.
- Like
Lazarus in the tomb, we may feel trapped in sin, discouragement, or
spiritual fatigue.
- But
like the Romans in Paul’s letter, we are reminded that the Spirit
who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Rom 8:11).
Pope Francis
once explained in a homily that Lazarus represents every person who feels
spiritually dead: “Sometimes our life resembles a tomb: everything is dark, and
around us there is only sadness. But Christ’s voice calls us out.”
Lent is
therefore the time when we allow Christ to stand before the tomb of our hearts
and call us by name: “Come out!” Just
as God breathes life into the dry bones in Ezekiel, Jesus now calls
Lazarus out of the grave. His voice invites us to leave behind sin, despair,
and indifference, and to walk again in the new life of grace that leads
us toward the joy of Easter.
Conclusion
Like the dry bones in
Ezekiel’s vision and like Lazarus in the tomb, our hearts can sometimes become
lifeless because of sin, discouragement, or spiritual indifference. Yet God’s
Spirit can breathe new life into us, and the voice of Christ continues to call
us out of the tombs of sin so that we may rise and walk in the new life of
grace. Just as the Lord brought life to the dry bones and called Lazarus out of
the tomb, He can also raise us from the graves of sin, despair, and spiritual
death. When we listen to His voice and allow His Spirit to enter our lives, we
too experience the new life that God alone can give.
