LENT 2020 – Day 33
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Readings: Ez 37: 12-14;Ps 129, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; Rom 8, 8-11; Jn 11, 1-45
Ezekiel is yet another prophet that points to the final purpose of life. He was the spiritual guide of his fellowmen in Babylon. Today’s reading from his Book is only a small part of his vision of the dry bones belonging to the Israelites in exile. God promised that He would bring them to life and back to their land. Here He wished to build a new community of believers in the true God. Ezekiel is thus a prophet of the exiles, whom he gave hope.
What do the dry bones restored to life represent? The image points to the restoration of the people of Israel and to the final resurrection. Jesus Himself gives us a preview of this, “so that we may believe” in the power of God…. When He promised to raise Lazarus, sisters Martha and Mary thought it was the “resurrection at the last day” that Jesus was referring to. After declaring “I am the resurrection and the life…” Jesus actually raises Lazarus who had died four days earlier. For sure, Lazarus died one day; meanwhile Jesus had made an important point: He gives us the life of the spirit and guides us to the final resurrection.
Everyone present there saw what the “glory of God” truly meant but did they all believe in Him? No. In fact, they killed Him… He died, yes, but rose again, victorious against death. This life-filled message St Paul reiterates when he says, “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies…”
The readings of today will be less overwhelming when applied to our daily life. As believers, we must die to our old selves and rise again. By putting to death our evil deeds, we get to focus on the glorious promises of God. The sacrament of Confession gives us the grace to realise that our present life is not everything and that in the death of the body we don’t lose everything. There is the eternal life of the spirit – the final purpose we were always destined for.