 |
| “Christ as Savior” by El Greco, 1600 |
Note: Alternate readings used for Year A
Scrutinies are found below in a second section.
Catechism
Links
CCC 606-607:
Christ’s life an offering to the Father
CCC 542,
607: Christ’s desire to give his life for our salvation
CCC 690,
729: the Spirit glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father
CCC 662,
2853: Christ ascended in glory as our victory
CCC 56-64,
220, 715, 762, 1965: the history of the covenants
(Year B Readings)
Reading 1: Jeremiah 31:31-34
The
days are coming, says the LORD,
when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and
the house of Judah
It
will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the
day I took them by the hand
to
lead them forth from the land
of Egypt
for
they broke my covenant,
and
I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But
this is the covenant that I will make
with
the house of Israel
I
will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I
will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No
longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how
to know the LORD.
All,
from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for
I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jer
31:31-34
This passage is called by scripture scholars “Jeremiah’s Spiritual
Testament”[4]. In his announcement of the “New Covenant” he
condenses his entire message into these few words. While in his day he is speaking to the
returning exiles about the re-establishment of the relationship with God, it
can also be seen as predictive of the messianic covenant. This is especially clear given the language
in the final verse regarding forgiveness “All,
from least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord, for I will forgive their
evildoing and remember their sin no more.”
CCC: Jer 31 1611;
Jer 31:31-34 64,
715, 762, 1965; Jer 31:33 368,
580, 2713
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13,
14-15
R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Have
mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in
the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly
wash me from my guilt
and
of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in
me, O God.
A
clean heart create for me, O God,
and
a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast
me not out from your presence,
and
your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in
me, O God.
Give
me back the joy of your salvation,
and
a willing spirit sustain in me.
I
will teach transgressors your ways,
and
sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in
me, O God.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps
51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
Psalm 51 provides
a call to repentance. It is a lament and the most famous of the seven
penitential psalms. “The Psalmist’s plea extends beyond a desire for a physical
cure (that cure is a sign that his sin has been forgiven). He begs God to renew his inner being by an
act of creation (v. 10), which will allow him to dwell in the presence of God
and share in the life that he possesses and bestows (‘thy holy Spirit’, thy
deliverance’; v. 11-12). The psalmist speaks of the fidelity to God which the
prophets have said will appear in the New Covenant that God will make with his
people (cf. Jeremiah 24:7, 31:33; Ezekiel 36: 25-27).”[5]
CCC:
Ps 51:12 298,
431
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Reading II: Hebrews 5:7-9
In
the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh,
he
offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to
the one who was able to save him from death,
and
he was heard because of his reverence.
Son
though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and
when he was made perfect,
he
became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
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Commentary on Heb
5:7-9
This is an important passage from the standpoint of understanding
the call to ministry, especially the Priesthood. In an extended form, it is frequently used at
ordinations and provides an understanding of what it means to be called to a
vocation. This selection continues with Christ’s own call. The author does an excellent job of capturing
Christ’s humanity in this description.
CCC:
Heb 5:1-10 1564;
Heb 5:7-9 609,
2606; Heb 5:7-8 612,
1009; Heb 5:7 2741;
Heb 5:8 2825;
Heb 5:9 617
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Gospel: John 12:20-33
Some
Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came
to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee ,
and
asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip
went and told Andrew;
then
Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus
answered them,
"The
hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen,
amen, I say to you,
unless
a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it
remains just a grain of wheat;
but
if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever
loves his life loses it,
and
whoever hates his life in this world
will
preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever
serves me must follow me,
and
where I am, there also will my servant be.
The
Father will honor whoever serves me.
"I
am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father,
save me from this hour'?
But
it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father,
glorify your name."
Then
a voice came from heaven,
"I
have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The
crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but
others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus
answered and said,
"This
voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now
is the time of judgment on this world;
now
the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And
when I am lifted up from the earth,
I
will draw everyone to myself."
He
said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn
12:20-33
Jesus
response to this request “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” implies that only after
his crucifixion could the Gospel encompass everyone. He then goes on to educate his disciples
about the mystery of his atoning death. He uses the metaphor of the grain of
wheat found in the other Gospel traditions (see Mark 8:35; Matthew 16:25; Luke 9:24; Matthew 10:39; Luke 17:33). When the Evangelist follows this with the
statement that “Who ever loves his life loses it…” it is understood that the reference is to body
and spirit since the Hebrews at this point did not recognize the separation of
the two. The statement leads into and exhortation that those who follow Jesus
(“Whoever serves me”) must accept the same
defamatory treatment.
The
Lord’s lament (“I am troubled…”) seems to interrupt this discourse; however, the narrative comes
closest to the agony in the garden found in the other Gospels. Jesus, faced with a cruel and imminent death
feels the anguish of his human fear. His
petition (“Yet what
should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'?”), followed by acceptance
(in this instance “But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour”) echoes the sentiment of
complete acceptance of the Father’s will and justifies the Lord’s request that
he be glorified by Him.
The
discourse concludes with God’s answer to Jesus’ plea; understood only by
Jesus. Those who heard and did not
understand are informed by Jesus that the events that will unfold will open the
gates to the judgment seat of God. Again
the use of the term “lifted up” conveys the duel meaning of lifted up upon the cross in the
crucifixion and raised to glory in the resurrection.
CCC:
Jn 12:24 2731;
Jn 12:27 363,
607; Jn 12:28 434;
Jn 12:31 550,
2853; Jn 12:32 542,
662, 786, 1428, 2795
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
We
enter the fifth week of Lent and the culmination of our fast is nearly in
sight. Ironically the events taking
place in the Gospel story from St.
John
He
strengthens this metaphor which is shared in all of the Gospel accounts;
telling his disciples that “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my
servant be. The Father will honor
whoever serves me.” He lets them know that the road
will not be an easy one. But, the effort
they employ will be rewarded by the Father.
We
are then provided with Jesus’ passionate plea to His Father. He clearly sees the road ahead and knows what
is coming. He would be less than human
if the prospect of his passion and death did not cause him to ask that it be
taken from him (although in St. John’s
Finally,
his acceptance and prayer complete, the Father answers his Son – He, the Lord
God, is pleased with his Son’s fidelity and bravery in the face of the passion
to come. He has loved him and now will
glorify him further; giving to him all the praise and glory that heaven can
offer.
The
passage concludes with Jesus saying it is time.
All that he came to do; all the seeds he had come to plant have been
planted. The earth has been plowed now
must he become wheat and die so that all his creation might have access to
God’s saving power.
For
us this story is almost premature. We
still have a week to go before we plunge into the events of Holy Week and see
that dreadful story once more unfold before the Messiah. This foretaste of what is to come drives us
to accelerate our own preparations, inwardly readying our selves to accept the
great sacrifice and rejoice in its offer of eternal life.
We
pray for our own resolve this week. May
we to whom such a wondrous sacrifice was made, do as the Lord asked his friends
and follow his example and bring God’s peace to all those we meet.
Pax
________________________________________
Fifth Sunday of Lent (For use with RCIA)
Readings and Commentary:
Reading 1: Ezekiel 37:12-14
Thus says the Lord God:
O my people, I will open your graves
and have you rise from them,
and bring you back to the land of Israel
Then you shall know that I am the Lord,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the Lord.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 37:12-14
The Prophet Ezekiel, in this part of his oracle was speaking
metaphorically of the Hebrew people in exile being returned to the land God had
promised. In this mystic vision he sees
this effected as a resurrection, the gift of new life. Within the context of Christ’s revelation the
fuller truth is revealed as Christ comes in the new resurrection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6,
7-8
R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness
of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the
Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O Lord, mark iniquities,
Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the
Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the Lord;
my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel
R. With the
Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the Lord is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. With the
Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Psalm 130 is an individual lament.
We hear in the first verses the psalmist’s cry for God’s mercy
recognizing the need for forgiveness.
The language reflects the unmerited gift of God’s forgiveness in spite
of the heavy burden of sin carried by the people.
CCC: Ps 130:3 370
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 2:
Romans 8:8-11
Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rom 8:8-11
CCC: Rom 8:2 782;
Rom 8:3 602;
Rom 8:9 693;
Rom 8:11 632,
658, 693, 695, 989, 990
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel:
John 11:1-45
Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany
the village
of Mary
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil
and dried his feet with her hair;
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
when Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
“Let us go back to Judea .”
The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles,
because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death,
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe.
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples,
“Let us also go to die with him.”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“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.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this,
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying,
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village,
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her,
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
she fell at his feet and said to him,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her
weeping,
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 11:1-45
We join Jesus’ last journey to Jerusalem
recounted in St. John’s
Within the story we see the very human emotions of Jesus they
range from confidence in his relationship with the Father at the end of the
story to the all too human grief and fear as he expresses his concern at what
this revelatory event has cost his close friends, Martha and Mary, as they see
their brother die. This exchange of fear
for faith seen in the witnesses is the same conversion the Gospel attempts to
initiate in the Christian faithful in response to these events.
CCC: Jn 11 994;
Jn 11:24 993,
1001; Jn 11:25 994;
Jn 11:27 439;
Jn 11:28 581;
Jn 11:34 472;
Jn 11:39 627;
Jn 11:41-42 2604;
Jn 11:44 640
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
OR
Shorter Form: John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus, saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
+Let us go back to Judea .”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“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.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
He became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27,
33b-45
Perhaps the most significant omission from the Lazarus story in
this shortened form is the subtext around the situation in Bethany Jerusalem St. Thomas
CCC: Jn 11 994; Jn 11:24 993, 1001; Jn 11:25 994; Jn 11:27 439; Jn 11:34 472; Jn 11:39 627; Jn 11:41-42 2604; Jn 11:44 640
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
The theme of Sacred Scripture for this our Fifth Sunday of Lent is
resurrection. It is a term Christians use
without much pause especially when speaking of Jesus who was the one who leads
us from death to life and the one who calls us to follow him; returning to life
when our mortal bodies fail as they all must.
The simple definition from the dictionary says that “Resurrection is the act of rising from the
dead or returning to life.” This is
something miraculous, yet we followers of Jesus proclaim it in our creed and
speak of it as calmly as if we were expecting to cross a street when our lives
ended.
Ezekiel speaks about resurrection in the first reading. To his original audience he was speaking in
metaphor about the people of Israel
This same understanding of a spiritual as well as a physical
revival is alluded to in St. Paul
As if to renew our own wonder at the miracle promised by the Lord
when he invited us to share in his own resurrection from the dead, we are
presented with the wonderful story of the Resurrection of Lazarus from St. John’s
In this story we find ourselves most easily standing in the place
of Martha and Mary. We have met these
sisters before in St. Luke’s Gospel.
Martha is the outspoken one. To
her falls the practical tasks of life.
She must concern herself with daily chores and keeping the home she
shares with her sister and brother running smoothly. She is fearless and completely un-intimidated
by the holiness of Jesus. Mary, her
sister, is the less intense but more spiritual of the two. We remember her sitting at the feet of Jesus
and are reminded by St. John
They send for Jesus, having faith that the great healer will be
able to save their brother. We are
surprised at Jesus response when he receives this message. He does not rush back to save Lazarus –
rather he tells his disciples (who must have been relieved because of the
danger they would face if they went back there) that Lazarus will not die but
that this whole incident is so that God’s Son might be revealed more clearly.
We are told he delayed two full days before starting off for Bethany St. Thomas
While he was still some way off, Martha heard that he was coming
and went to meet him. We are given a
glorious exchange between the outspoken Martha and our Savior. Martha takes him to task. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would
not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give
you.” Knowing Martha, we can almost
hear the accusation in her words. She is not calm in her grief for her brother
but still has faith in Jesus.
The Lord tries to explain what he is about to do but she does not
understand thinking he is speaking about the resurrection on the last day. Finally, he corrects hear and puts the
question directly to her; “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. Do you believe this?” We
can see the light of understanding come into her eyes as she responds; “Yes,
Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one
who is coming into the world.”
Finally understanding she sends for her sister, the emotional one
who comes to the Lord in inconsolable grief, weeping. The Lord sees the great sorrow this great
proof of his identity has caused his friends and he becomes very upset. The famous “shortest verse in scripture is
uttered; “Jesus wept.” He did not weep
for Lazarus. He was going to bring
Lazarus back. He wept for those who were
weeping, those he loved, Martha and Mary.
They did not have enough faith to know what was possible in Christ. In that one moment he wept for all who grieve
their own loss, forgetting the joy of those who return to the Father in
death. He wept for all of us that we
have to endure the suffering of loss before we see what is promised by the
Lord.
Immediately he asks to be taken to the tomb where they have laid
him. Martha still does not understand
what he is about to do. She tries to
prevent him from opening the tomb, thinking he simply wants to see is friend’s
body once more. She warns him that it
will smell. He’s been dead for four
days. (also symbolic – Hebrew tradition stated that the spirit remained in the
vicinity of the body for three days and then departed.).
We are told that at this point Jesus prayed aloud- for our
sake. That we might understand the power
of prayer and know that it was not Jesus who did this thing but God, the
Father. Then he called to Lazarus
“Lazarus, come out.” And the one who was
dead (The words are : “…the dead man came out.”) came back to Jesus who
commanded that the bonds of death be untied “Untie him and let him go.”
It is said in scripture that after this event, many of those who
saw this event came to believe. We must
ask ourselves if we believe. We, who
assume the roles of Martha and Mary are asked as Martha was “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. Do you believe this?” What is our response? When we talk about the resurrection do we
speak with the awe and wonder that should accompany the greatest gift ever
offered?
We are entering into the final days of our Lenten journey. The high Holy Days are rushing upon us and we
are challenged again – Do you believe this?
Our actions must reflect our words and the Love of Christ must flow from
us as it flowed to Lazarus whom Jesus called back to himself as he calls us.
Pax
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture used is “Christ as Savior” by El Greco, 1600
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
[4]
Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, pp.327, 89.
[5]
The Navarre Bible: “Psalms”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp.
186-187
[6]
Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 63:123, pp.446
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