Homily Notes Fifth Sunday in Lent

We all need safe places. We need places where we can go where we know we will be accepted. Usually, we find that place is in our own home. We can go there, shut the door, be with people we love. We gain new energy to face the world.

But what if we do not have a home? What if we are a single man like Jesus living in the world? If that is the case then, we might go to a friend’s home where we will find support.

Jesus was like all of us. At times, he had a stressful life. His life was taxing for many reasons. Anyone who is in a helping profession knows that there are all kinds of demands coming from all kinds of people from all different directions. Jesus, we are told, would slip away to an out of the way place so that he could pray and reflect.

One of Jesus’s favorite places to escape to was a friend’s house. The home belonged to Lazarus and his two sisters Martha and Mary. The trio lived in Bethany which was within walking distance of Jerusalem. In the Gospel of John, Jesus visits Jerusalem any number of times. While he was there, he was often in conflict with the religious authorities. Being in arguments with the powers that be, had to take a lot out of the Lord. We know how we feel when we must joust with authority figures in our life.

Whenever Jesus went to Jerusalem he seemed to stay at the home of his friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We are told that Jesus loved this family, who were not just his friends, they were intimate friends. He could be himself with them. He could share his burdens.

All this set the stage for the story we read today. The distress that Jesus felt at the death of his friend Lazarus is something we can relate to. Most of us have lost a dear friend. We can understand the distress of Lazarus’s family. We can appreciate the tears of Jesus.

What brings Lazarus back from the dead? We get the impression that Jesus orchestrated this whole situation to prove a point. What was his reason for raising Lazarus? We could say it was to show the power that Jesus had. He had the ability to resuscitate a dead man after three days in the tomb. We could say that, but this episode was not unique. Someone said once there were about ten other times when someone was resuscitated in the Bible. We could also say, that this miracle was a way of affirming the power of love. The love we have for those dearest to us can transcend even death itself.

One of the prayers that we can say at the end of the funeral Mass is this:

“Lord, the death of our loved one recalls our human condition and the brevity of our lives on earth. But for those who believe in your love death is not the end, nor does it destroy the bonds that you forge in our lives. We share the faith of your Son’s disciples and the hope of the children of God.”

When we as Christians, stand before the grave of a person that we care for, it is never a hopeless situation. Jesus’ bond with Lazarus could not be destroyed even in death. I have witnessed all kinds of funerals. I just had three this week. The saddest ones are those where few people are present, where the person dies pretty much alone. The most uplifting funerals are those where it is obvious that the person who died had a web of relationships. In community, we find hope. Jesus’ community lived on after his death. We are that Body of Christ in the world today. For that reason, it is important to strengthen our church whenever we can.

Each year, we are asked to support the Annual Diocesan Appeal. The funds collected support various programs for the diocese, everything from Catholic schools to Catholic charities. Some of the programs benefit us at Sacred Heart. One small example is the diaconate program. I have been trying to recruit some men for the next diaconate class. We have two men interested. Donations to ADA could support their formation. Other ways the money is spent have been outlined in various publications of the diocese.

I ask you to take up the cards that are at the end of the pews. Please pass them down so that each family can have one. If you received your card already and have it with you can relax. On the front of the card it asks for basic information. Name and address. You can just make a pledge so you can pay later. The pledge is payable over six months. On the back of the card there is a place for credit card information or checking-savings with drawl. It seems like the diocese will take donation any way you want to give it. If you own some corn or oats they will even take that. When you are through filling out your card you can tear off the receipt on the end. Put the rest of the card in the envelope when you are done. If you forgot your check book or the card that was mailed to you return it next week in the regular collection.

I will remind you that every dollar that we are short we must make up from our parish assets. A couple years ago that amounted to $40,000. Last year we were $23,000 short. Our goal is $137,000 this year which requires help from us all. It would help our parish community if we did not incur a debt. I thank you pledging for this appeal. I appreciate how much all of you love Sacred Heart. If our parish is financially healthy this allows us to do essential ministry. We can then be the supportive community that Jesus calls us to be. We can find hope, even in the face of death itself.