Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130 (129):1-8, Romans 8:8-11 and John 11:1-45
From Darkness to Life—The Power of the Resurrection
Last Sunday, we walked with the man born blind. Through the healing touch of Jesus, his physical eyes were opened, but more importantly, his spiritual eyes were awakened to the light of faith. We learned that Jesus is the Light of the World, who comes to dispel the darkness of our sin and our limited perspectives. He showed us that while the world may judge by outward appearances, God looks at the heart and offers a vision that transcends our human limitations. Today, on this 5th Sunday of Lent, we move from the theme of Light to the theme of Life. If last week was about seeing, this week is about living. We move from the healing of a sensory organ to the complete restoration of a human being from the grip of death.
To understand today’s readings, we must see them as a journey through the valley of despair toward the mountaintop of hope.
• Ezekiel 37:12-14: The Israelites were in exile in Babylon. They felt like “dry bones”—dead, scattered, and without hope. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, promising not just to bring them home, but to open their graves and put His Spirit within them.
• Psalm 130: This is the De Profundis—a cry “out of the depths.” It is the prayer of someone who knows they are drowning in sin but trusts in the “fullness of redemption” found in the Lord.
• Romans 8:8-11: St. Paul reminds the early Christians that because the Spirit of God lives in them, they are no longer slaves to the flesh (the selfish, dying part of human nature). Since the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, that same Spirit will give life to our “mortal bodies.”
• John 11:1-45: This is the climactic sign in John’s Gospel: the raising of Lazarus. It took place just before Jesus entered Jerusalem for His own Passion. It is the final proof of His authority over the ultimate enemy: death.
The Delay of Love
In the Gospel, we encounter a confusing moment. When Jesus heard that His dear friend Lazarus is ill, He did not rush to his side. Instead, He stayed where He was for two more days. To Mary and Martha, this must have felt like abandonment. When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. In Jewish tradition, four days meant the soul had left the body and corruption had set in; there was no turning back.
Why did Jesus wait? He waited so that the miracle would not just be a “healing,” but a resurrection. He wanted to show that His power is not limited by time, decay, or the finality of the grave. When Jesus met Martha, He said those life-altering words: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” He does not just give life; He is Life.
Why Are We Weeping?
One of the most moving verses in all of Scripture is found in this reading: “Jesus wept.” John 11:35. Even though He knew He was about to raise Lazarus, Jesus felt the genuine pain of human loss. He entered into the grief of Lazarus’ sister.
This tells us two things:
- God is with us in our pain. He is not a distant judge watching from afar. He stands at the graveside of our hopes, our broken relationships, and our lost loved ones, and He weeps with us.
- Death is an enemy. Jesus’ tears were also tears against the “wages of sin”—death—which tears apart what God created for eternity. But through His resurrection He countered death.
The Call: “Lazarus, Come Out!”
When Jesus stood before the tomb, He gave three commands that reflect our own spiritual journey:
- “Take away the stone.” Jesus could have moved the stone with a thought, but He asked the people to do it. What “stones” are blocking the entrance to your heart? Is it a stone of resentment? A stone of addiction? A stone of “I can do it myself”? Jesus is asking us to do the heavy lifting of honesty so He can reach the dead parts of our souls.
- “Lazarus, come out!” Jesus calls us by name. He calls us out of the “tombs” we have built for ourselves—tombs of depression, tombs of past mistakes, or tombs of spiritual laziness. To “come out” requires an act of the will. We must choose to leave the familiar darkness for the blinding light of His grace.
- “Untie him and let him go.” Lazarus came out bound in burial cloths. Even after we encounter Jesus, we often still carry the “shroud” of our old habits. We need the community—the Church—to help untie us, to forgive us through Confession, and to support us as we learn to walk again in the Spirit.
Living as People of the Spirit
Dear people of God, as Ezekiel prophesied, God has promised to put His Spirit in us so that we may live. As we move toward Holy Week, let us not be a people who live in the grave. We are not defined by our “four days” of decay or our past failures. We are defined by the voice of the Son of God calling us to rise.
Do you believe that Jesus can bring life to the “dry bones” of your life today? If He can call a dead man from a four-day tomb, He can certainly handle our worries, our sins, and our fears. All we need to do is Take heart, be patient. The stone is being moved. The voice is calling. It is time to live.
