My dear friends in Christ, this Gospel passage, which the liturgy of the Mass presents to us for this Fifth Sunday of Lent in Year A, invites us to reflect on the resurrection of Lazarus. As you have heard, Lazarus was indeed dead. This passage tells us of the greatest miracle performed by Jesus during his life on earth.

By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus shows us that he is the master of life. With him, life triumphs over death; life wins the victory over death. By raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus shows us that God did not create us for death, but for life. And that is why he came into our world: so that we might have life, life in its fullness, life in abundance. Faced with the grief, pain, and sadness of Martha and Mary, Jesus does not remain indifferent. He does not stand idly by, doing nothing. He sees the need to act. And so he decides to raise Lazarus from the dead to bring joy to the hearts of this grieving family.

This is the very attitude we must adopt as disciples of Jesus. When faced with the suffering, pain, and trials of our brothers and sisters, let us not remain indifferent, let us not stand idly by, and let us not be mere spectators. Let us show solidarity and try to do something to bring them relief, even if only through a word or a brief message of comfort. This may seem small in the eyes of humans, but it is great in the eyes of God, for great opportunities to serve God are rare, but small ones are part of our daily lives.

By weeping over Lazarus’s death, Jesus shows us that God is neither indifferent nor insensitive to human suffering. He is moved by our pain. Therefore, in our trials, let us not withdraw into ourselves. Let us ask Jesus for his help, his support, and his assistance, for he tells us: “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.”

Martha and Mary asked Jesus for help, and they were not disappointed. Jesus raised their brother Lazarus from the dead. He reminds us: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if they die, will live.” Those who believe in Jesus discover that death does not have the final say over the lives of God’s children, for our lives belong to God. What we must do now is follow Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, and who can lead us to eternal life. Our faith in the resurrection is linked to our faith in God, who is love and life. The God in whom we believe is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. His plan is to share with us the fullness of his life and his love.

He created us for life, not for death. That is why Saint Paul says, “If Christ had not been raised, our faith would be in vain.” In our world, many do not believe in the resurrection of the dead, but we Christians do believe in it, and we profess this belief in the Creed. We believe that life does not end with death, but that it is transformed.

After our time on this earth, we will be raised with Christ and will have an eternal home with God. Jesus tells us: “I am going to prepare a place for you.” That is our hope. Faith is the source of eternal life.

Let us therefore continue to nourish our faith by listening to and meditating on the Word of God each day, and by participating in the Eucharist. Jesus tells us: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”

May the Lord grant us the grace to trust him fully, like Martha and Mary, to remain attached to him and to abide in his presence, doing his will each day, so that at the end of our life on this earth, we may live with him for eternity. Amen.