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From the Pastor's Desk: March 26, 2023
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From the Pastor’s Desk: March 26, 2023
The Fifth Sunday of Lent offers us a remarkable story that proclaims that no one is so far gone into death that Jesus cannot call him or her back to life, for He is the resurrection and the life, which is more than just physical life in the present, but also on the other side of death. Martha and Mary, our models for our journey - never a direct straight-line event - to profound faith. Martha takes the initiative in welcoming Jesus and professes a typical Jewish faith in the resurrection “on the last day”, the day of judgment and resurrection at the end of time. But in John's Gospel, it is important that faith is not just focused on a distant event but it is a death-defying affirmation of the “now “reality of God's presence and power in Jesus. That reality calls us to come forth trustingly into life from the narrow confines of our daily anxieties, from the fears of our mortality, and from what seems to wither and die in us from day-to-day. So to Martha Jesus proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and Martha professes her faith in Him as the Messiah- the Son of God. Mary and the other mourners arrive at the scene and Mary, like her sister, goes straight for Jesus. Then, together, they move toward the tomb of Lazarus. There Jesus weeps - not only tears of friendship for His friend but also tears of anger at the last enemy, death, which He has been sent to destroy. (c.f. Living Liturgy)
The theme of rising from the dead is so fundamental to our faith and brings the truth and hope of everlasting life with God. The resurrection is central for us who believe. Our faith in the Resurrection of Jesus and our own makes us “resurrected” people who live our lives to the fullness in Christ here on earth with hope to be with Him forever in His everlasting Kingdom. And yet, so many Christians answer in surveys that they do not believe in the resurrection. The fear of death destroys our freedom and makes us afraid and selfish to commit ourselves to one another and keeps our lives away from the truth of the Gospel. If so, are we not more dead than alive? Today we are reassured, once again, by Jesus who reminds us in the final week of Lent: “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?” Let us pray today to come out of the tombs of our hardened hearts, out of the graves of our fears and selfishness, of everything that keeps us imprisoned and away from the love of the resurrected God.
This Sunday celebrates the third and last Scrutinies for the preparation of candidates for the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and it is the final Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week. The Liturgy of the Word of this day speaks of re-creation, resurrection, and new life. In the last four weeks, the Messiah, already revealed the victory over sin and temptation, His transfigured glorious body, He offered us Himself as the gift of living water and saving light, and today He triumphs as the world's life, God's victory over sin and death.
Some of you may recall the certain tradition in the Catholic Church for crosses and statues being draped in purple as an unmistakable sign of the penitential season of Lent. The tradition makes its reference to the words of the prophet Isaiah who wrote, “By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust shall be your strength” (30:15). Removing distractions from church interiors is one way to focus our minds on God’s call to a deeper interior life with His Son. So, the liturgical rubrics in the Roman Missal for the Fifth Sunday of Lent states: “In the Dioceses of the United States, the practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church from this Sunday may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.” In addition, please pay attention to the changes in the liturgical texts with the beginning of the Fifth Sunday of Lent: a new Preface and prayers calling us to pay closer attention to Jesus’ passion. Covering statues on this Sunday underscores a deeper step we take with Christ on His Lenten journey.
I pray that you will have a blessed final week of the Lenten journey. Please continue to identify and share your holy moments with our parish community.
With prayers, Fr. Andy
