On this Fifth Sunday of Lent we hear the gospel story of Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, being raised from the dead, and we also hear of the questions that Lazarus’s sisters, Martha and Mary, have to face in the midst of their brother’s death. These questions, for many folks, will be the obstacles to faith which the Sunday scrutinies speak—especially this fifth Sunday.
For each of us, we shall realize that our own faith will be tested from time-to-time, and especially at the loss of a loved one or even when we come to face our own death. For many, faith will be tested in their high school and college years—particularly as they go off to college and hear opinions of their professors, as they engage with evangelicals, Jews and Muslims who all do a much better job at apologetics—really teaching their people not only “what” they believe but also the “why” behind their faith. It is no doubt that many Roman Catholics enter college with faith and then come home after a year or two with a diluted belief system. We see declines in Catholics practicing their faith in new working lives, Catholic/non-Catholic marriages, when midlife illnesses or when the trials and tribulations of the workplace disturb the rhythm of daily life; and, when old age provides us with new challenges to faith, ie, mobility issues and the disconnect from the parish, loneliness from loss of a spouse or when many friends pass, and when we are no longer able to do the things we wish to do—and thus the resulting age-old question of, “Why am I still here?” To steal from a long running daytime soap, “These are the scrutinies of our lives…”. To reiterate St. Paul obstacles abound.
Yes, they are! So in this Sunday’s readings we first hear from Ezekiel (37) that the Lord says, “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them…, I will put my spirit in you that you may live…, thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it…” Our second reading is from Romans (8), and we hear this Truth: “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.”
Our Gospel from John (11) has much in it today, but ultimately for me the most powerful words are by Jesus, when He says to the people about Lazarus: “Untie him and let him go.” This is a freedom that we all seek—to be “untied” from our sins, our fears, our doubts and even “unbelief,” and let go—not in a forgotten way, but letting go in a freeing way—that we know who we are meant to be, as St. Catherine of Siena said—now that we are a people who have faith and have God’s Spirit dwelling within us, the Spirit of Truth, of Goodness and of Beauty. Truth because God said it: I will raise you up! Goodness because all that God desires for us is for our excellence, for He would not want or do anything that is contrary to our good, our nobleness. And Beauty, because you and I—all of us—share in the Image and Likeness of God. We have His Divine Spark within us and when that Image of God is fed, nourished and set free to be lived—very key here—we will live our faith, then only Truth, Goodness and Beauty can come from the life of faith that we are called to live.
So get a good mirror, take a good look, and see the Truth that God has breathed into you; feel the Goodness that comes from living our lives in Christ, and then make the world a place filled and teeming with His Beauty. Go build the City of God, but first scrutinize the obstacles of faith in each of us and with faith—Truth, Goodness and Beauty—climb the mountain of belief