A Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

I Am The Resurrection, Do You Believe?
A Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Based on Ezekiel 37:12 - 14, Psalm 129 (130), Romans 8:8 - 11, John 11:1 - 45
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry

This week’s readings are filled with hope and promise for us. The reading from the book of Ezekiel has the following instruction for us: “hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is kindness and abundant redemption” (Ezekiel 37:12 - 14).
By believing in God and living according to God’s will there is kindness and redemption for us. Notice that KINDNESS is a part of the promise. Almighty God is a God of kindness and love not an avenging God. The Gospel story tells of how Christ raised Lazarus from the dead and it demonstrates the kindness and love that Christ exhibited toward His friends. Kindness has many manifestations in life, such as caring for the poor, aged and sick; reaching out to those who are struggling with addictions and trying to help them; being responsible in life and electing individuals who demonstrate concern for those who are not as privileged as others. These are all ways to live a life that reflects God.
The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said of Kindness: “Kindness and love, the most curative herbs and agents in Human intercourse are such precious finds that one would hope these balsam like remedies would be used as economically as possible; but this is impossible. Only the boldest Utopians would dream of the economy of kindness.” And the Dalai Lama had this to say about kindness: “When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace. Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.”
Our world today is so filled with bigotry, war, genocide and complete disregard for the needs of the poor, aged, sick, hungry, homeless and our environment that there does seem to be a severe lack of KINDNESS.
I believe that we need to pray the words of the Psalm for this week: Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears listen out for the voice of my pleading (Psalm 129 (130).
We need in these final weeks of Lent to turn our hearts and minds to God and plead with Him to hear our cries for relief from all the ills that are plaguing our world.
The Gospel relates how Jesus informed the disciples that Lazarus was dead: “Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe”, and that by restoring Lazarus to life people might finally believe that Christ was sent by God and was indeed the Promised One of the ages and the Son of God.
Those of us who believe and accept Christ and His teachings have received a special gift from God in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul in Romans 8 tells us: Spirit of God has made his home in you (Romans 8:8 - 11).
Every time we seek God’s help and allow ourselves to put complete trust in God we live the Hope that Ezekiel speaks of and we also are inspired by the Holy Spirit to live with a God like kindness.
Last week I spoke of how Christ was the Way, the Truth and the Light sent by the Father to open our eyes and bring us out of the Darkness of sin and ignorance. In today’s Gospel Christ says the following: “A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling because he has the light of this world to see by; but if he walks at night he stumbles, because there is no light to guide him.’ … ‘I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:1 - 45)?
How do you answer Christ’s question? Do you believe?
Lent is a time for us to take inventory of our lives and determine what we need to do to reflect Christ and His teachings in our daily lives and to become more God like by extending Kindness toward all we come in contact with and in our responsibilities and duties because as the Dalai Lama reminds us: “Responsibility lies with each of us individually”.In today’s world there are many ills that need addressing and correcting, Many - if not most leaders, both world and church officials seem to cater to special interests and the rich and powerful and have lost site of the plight of the common individual. We as followers of Christ can make a difference by making our voices heard by our elected officials and by becoming more generous in our assistance to those in need. We can contribute a portion of the proceeds we save from our Lenten fasting to causes that are practicing kindness toward the poor, homeless, sick and aged.
Let our voice resound through our daily lives and actions with the words Martha spoke: “Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world”.We need to keep the promise Christ makes in the Gospel story in the forefront of our daily life by showing the Kindness of God to all we encounter because then Christ assures us; “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” AMEN