Daily Readings - Sun Mar 29 2020
Ezekiel
12Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.13Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.14I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'"
Romans
8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
John
3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."4When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.6Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.7Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."24Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"27"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.34"Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.35Jesus wept.36Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"37But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.39"Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of God’s Spirit and the promise of new life, even in the face of death and despair. In the first reading, Ezekiel prophesies to a people in exile, feeling lifeless and hopeless, like dry bones scattered in a valley. God tells Ezekiel to speak His word, promising to breathe life into these bones and restore His people to their homeland. This passage is a powerful metaphor for spiritual renewal, reminding us that even when we feel lifeless or stuck, God’s Spirit can bring us back to life.
The second reading from Romans deepens this theme by contrasting life in the flesh with life in the Spirit. Paul explains that those who are in the flesh cannot please God, but those who have the Spirit of Christ are alive in Him. This reading emphasizes the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, who not only justifies us but also enlivens our mortal bodies. It reminds us that our true life comes from the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead and dwells within us.
The Gospel takes us to the story of Lazarus, where Jesus demonstrates His power over death and reveals Himself as the Resurrection and the Life. Martha’s declaration of faith, “I have believed that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” stands out as a moment of profound trust in the face of grief. Jesus’ response, “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” is a promise to all of us. He shows us that death is not the end but a transition to eternal life for those who believe in Him.
These readings connect beautifully, showing how God’s Spirit brings life to what is dead. Ezekiel’s dry bones, Paul’s emphasis on the Spirit, and Jesus’ raising of Lazarus all point to the same truth: God is the source of all life, and He desires to breathe new life into us. In our daily lives, we often face moments of spiritual dryness or feel overwhelmed by the challenges of the world. But today’s readings remind us to trust in God’s power to renew us. Let us turn to Him with faith, just as Martha did, and ask for the grace to believe in His promises. May we allow the Spirit of God to enliven our hearts and minds, so that we may live as children of the Resurrection, even in the midst of this world’s trials.