Deacon Ron's homily, Fifth Sunday of Lent, cycle A - Untie the burial cloths binding you and have life in Jesus!

Today’s Gospel brought back memories of someone very dear to me, my Aunt Helen.    She was more like a grandma to me than an aunt.   Aunt Helen was not able to have any children, but she had many nieces and nephews and treated us like her own.   She would always welcome us to stay overnight and my parents would often get a break by having us stay with her. She’d always have a special treat for us when we got to her house, and a bag of treats or toys to take home. After my wife and I had our own kids she was just as eager to have our kids stay with her.  She treated them just the same and they were just as endeared to her.

Aunt Helen was widowed very early in life and lived alone.  She was always a joy to visit and lived very simply. She grew up in a poor family and was content with what she had. We lived several hours away so we would call her often and visit when we could.   As years progressed her health declined, but she wouldn’t see a doctor.  She blamed it on the cost, but it was really out of fear of being diagnosed with a serious illness.  She had many friends who had died from cancer and was afraid it would happen to her.  She eventually had a stroke and also was diagnosed with cancer.  When we heard this we wanted to be with her right away, but were unable to do so due to work and school schedules.  But we were able to go there in a few days.

In today’s Gospel we hear the main purpose of why Jesus came into the world.   Some very dear friends of Jesus, Martha and Mary, come to tell Jesus their brother, Lazarus, was ill.  They were very close to Jesus and He loved them. When we hear Lazarus was ill, we expect Jesus to heal him. But instead Jesus stays for two days. Why would Jesus do this? You’d think He’d go right away if he loved him.   We know Jesus has the power, having healed a blind man who did not even know him.  Surely he’d heal Lazarus. But the story turns for the worse: Lazarus dies.

When Jesus arrives Martha meets him and says: “Lord if you had been here my brother wouldn’t have died”. Martha’s grief causes Jesus to be perturbed and deeply troubled. But why did Jesus let Martha experience this grief when he could have healed Lazarus? Early on Jesus tells Martha and Mary that Lazarus illness was for God’s glory.  Even though Martha grieves at the loss of Lazarus, she still has faith in Jesus telling him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus then reveals his mission: “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.” Jesus came to give us life! Martha has faith, but she does not fully understand Jesus’ power over death.  So He asks Martha to get Mary.  Mary comes and falls at the feet of Jesus saying: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died”.  In seeing her weeping Jesus shows his human nature: Jesus wept. 

After this Jesus shows his divine nature and power by glorifying God in raising Lazarus from the dead. We’ve heard of some other miraculous stories of Jesus raising the dead, but in

these other stories the people were not yet in the tomb.  Lazarus had been in the tomb four days and his body was surely beyond saving.  As the stone is rolled away we hear a sign that death has come, “surely there will be a stench”.   But Jesus prays to the Father demonstrating his power over death and commands in a loud voice “Lazarus come out!”  Lazarus emerges wrapped in burial cloths and Jesus responds, “Untie him and let him go”.  Many of the witnesses came to believe in Jesus at the seeing Lazarus being raised. 

Today we live in world does not want us to believe that Jesus gives life.  The forces of the world desire to keep us wrapped in our own burial cloths and kept in a tomb.   We are constantly distracted away from the life giving power of Jesus by placing too much importance on entertainment, improving our appearance, climbing the success ladder, or seeking approval of others just to name a few.  These are ok if we keep the perspective that they don’t give us life.  But if we are totally wrapped up in them we won’t be able to obtain what really gives us life: Jesus.

We can have the gift of life through the Church and Lenten Season helps to restore our life.  By unwrapping the burial cloths of sin Christ can restore us to life through prayer and the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation.   Just this past week over 100 people had their life restored through the sacrament reconciliation. It’s a life giving experience if you have been away for a while.    There are still more opportunities to do so before Easter.  

Returning to my Aunt Helen, we drove up Northwest Indiana to visit after few days.  I knew the hospital would bring her a lot of anxiety.   I really didn’t know what so say or do for her, but I wanted to let her know things would be ok. It had been many years since she had been to church.  I really wanted give her some sign that Christ was with her.   I found a small cross in the gift shop and decided to give it to her at the right time.  She looked very confused and afraid when we first saw her.   She couldn’t talk, but she could understand us.   After we had visited with her a while she became more of her old self, so I gave her the cross and told her our Lord would be with her. She clutched it tightly and shed a few tears.  Even though she had not been to church in years I think the cross gave her comfort and reminded her of the life Christ gives.  She had a look of peace in her eyes that only Christ could give. I told her we would be back in a few days to visit.   We did return, but it was for her funeral, to return her to God.  I do believe that she had Christ was with her, weeping for her and welcoming her to new life.

My dear brothers and sisters, Christ gives us life, if we believe in Jesus and live as his disciples.  He tells us that, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.  He can give us life now by unwrapping the burial cloths in our own lives that keep us away from him.  I pray that the rest of your Lent be a life giving time. God bless you.