5th Sunday of Lent, 2023 - Fr. Leo
“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.”
Jesus’ words summarize our Christian faith. Our belief in Christ who died and rose from the dead has power over life and death. The raising of Lazarus, affirms Martha’s faith that there is a resurrection on the last day. Jesus made that last day now.
When we believe in Jesus Christ and live in his Spirit, sharing in the life of the Trinity, we are raised up even now. Lazarus will die an earthly death again, but he will be raised up with Christ in Christ’s own resurrection.
For us, to confess the faith of Martha, is to live in the Spirit and allow God to bless us as he leads us into new live. There will be many small conversions along the way till we experience our full conversion in the death and resurrection of Christ.
So let us strive now with all our mind, all our body and all our heart and soul to seek and surrender to God’s love and follow where he leads us. We will be lead to our inner room where Christ directed us at the beginning of Lent, and in our own profession of faith we will open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit so that in our stillness, God will become a living experience that transforms.
Like Martha, our faith in Jesus Christ will lead to the witness and experience of God’s power to give new live. May we pray for this new life and open ourselves in humility to the one who saves. Amen.