Reading I: Ezekiel 37: 12-14,
Psalm 130:1-2.3-4.5-7a.7b-8,
Reading II: Romans 8:8-11, Full Readings
Gospel: John 11:1-45
St. Ludovico of Casoria
About the Fifth Sunday of Lent.
Previously called "Passion Sunday," (in the Extraordinary Form Mass-The Tridentine Mass, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass (often abbreviated as TLM which was introduced by Council of Trent and used up to the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI, promulgated in 1969, with the revised Roman Missal appearing in 1970 which we use it's updated version today. Tridentine Mass can be used today as Extraordinary Form Mass) this Sunday marks the beginning of Passiontide, a deeper time of Lent. This is the third Sunday of the scrutinies for the preparation of adult converts, and the final Sunday of Lent before the beginning of Holy Week. The Liturgy of the Word of this day speaks of re-creation, resurrection, and new life.
Later in 1969, the Catholic Church removed Passion Sunday from the liturgical calendar in the Novus Ordo Form but remained to be observed in the Extraordinary Form and in the Anglican Communion and by the Lutheran's. This Sunday marked the start of the passion of the Lord called Passiontide a two long week period before Easter. After being removed from the liturgical calendar, Pope John the XXIII in 1960 called it the First Sunday of the Passion and Palm Sunday was the second one. Later in 1969, Pope Paul the VI removed the Passiontide completely and it was called Fifth Sunday of Lent.
Although Passiontide as a distinct liturgical season was thus abolished, the Roman Rite liturgy continues to bring the Passion of Christ to mind, from Monday of the fifth week of Lent onward, through the choice of hymns, the use on the weekdays of the fifth week of Lent of Preface I of the Passion of the Lord, with Preface II of the Passion of the Lord being used on the first three weekdays of Holy Week, and the authorization of the practice of covering crosses and images from the fifth Sunday of Lent onward.
The entrance antiphon of the Mass on the fifth Sunday of Lent begins with the word "Iudica" (older spelling, "Judica"). This provides another name for that Sunday: "Iudica Sunday" or "Judica Sunday" similar to the name "Laetare Sunday" for the fourth Sunday. Because of the custom of veiling crucifixes and statues in the church before Mass on the fifth Sunday of Lent. All the images throughout the church from this Sunday may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.
Passion Sunday is also known as Carlin or Carlin Sunday in the northwest of England, when Carlin peas are eaten. Carlin are not universal so any peas can be eaten.
Reflection
I shall put my spirit within you and you will live for I am the resurrection and the life.
Brethren today's readings speak of recreation, resurrection and new life. The first Reading gives us an assurance of new life even from death, from our graves and gives us his spirit so that we may live again. This reading gives us hope that though we have sinned and we have gone to the grave and died because of our sins, God does not count our iniquities. He will forgive us when we return to him and he will give us a new life in Christ. Giving new life shows the real glory of God which we will see in the Gospel reading. Therefore let us not be afraid, God will not abandon us, he will not leave us to die, for his Spirit, the Lord of life is with us and for those who live in the spirit of God and are not interested in nonspiritual things will have life everlasting.
This is what St Paul in the second reading stresses, that we should live in the spirit of the Lord by being interested in spiritual things and therefore we shall be raised from all our sins which have dug graves for us for it is the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead. God will also raise our mortal bodies from the curse of death. Therefore brethren this is the hope we have for our everlasting life, what we only need to do is paying attention to the spiritual things, that is things of God through prayer, reflection on readings, family prayer, fasting, alms giving, love of neighbors, and avoiding all evil thoughts and acts in our lives and God will reward us with new life. Let us always long for that spirit that we may be guided in the right way to God.
The restoration to new life is also seen in the Gospel reading as Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, and this automatically shows us that God is the Lord of life, he created, he can recreate, he can resurrect and bring to a new life. There are several Reflections we can get from this gospel.
Firstly, Jesus lived as a real human being. He had his best friends whom he could visit frequently among them were Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He even wept for Lazarus after he had died. This is purely human way and he gives us an example that as human beings we can't live as an island, we need others, who we can share our house, happiness, sadness, and being together in difficult times. We need friends, we need people to talk to and we also need to stand with others when need arises for instance at parties, burials and others as Jesus did.
Secondly, we see the glory of God. Jesus did not go as soon as he was told that Lazarus was sick, instead he said this sickness will not be in death but in God's glory and the Son of God will be glorified. God's glory shows that he is the Lord of life and he can do anything he wishes. When Jesus came and found him dead and buried four days in the tomb, to show his glory and glory of God, he raised him. Brethren let us not despair because if the situations we are passing through, for most of those situations God really wants to show us his glory and also to make us know that we cannot do anything without him otherwise, our life will be ended. We pray that in every situation we will see the hand and glory of God, and also recognise that when our hope is in God, everything will come to an end. We remember that it is through human experience that the glory of God and we pray that his Glory may be shown in our lives.
Thirdly, Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the Glory of God? This statement specifically speaks to us and gives us Hope especially in this difficult times of pandemic Corona Virus. Brethren let us not lose hope, we only need to believe and then we shall see wonders happening. Let this is if Corona Virus strengthen us in faith, give us an instinct of the need God in everyday situations of our life not only when problems arise. We pray and believe that God will inspire doctors and scientists to find an everlasting solution to this pandemic. Let us stay and stand firm faith and not be shaken by anything for God will truly show his glory in this time. No more deaths of Corona Virus and today God declares healing to all people and new life to all the world. He will give us his spirit and he will raise us back to life to our normal life and we will glorify him forever.
Fourthly, is the role of prayer. Prayer is very important even in the life of Jesus. If Jesus who is god prayed, who are we human beings not to pray to God our Father. I implore you brethren to pray without ceasing, for our needs, for our neighbors, and for the whole world but most especially in the current situation that the world will regain its original peace. Jesus believed in his Father, and gave us the example to believe in Him as the source of life. He raised Lazarus from the dead but again died, however he promises us that he will raise our mortal bodies in glorious form by his spirit and we shall never die, what we need is to believe in him and long for spiritual things.
I implore you brethren to reflect more on those readings as they inspire you today and point us to the conquering of death and sin at Easter.
We pray that God will show his glory especially in these difficult times and may he continue to give us his spirit that we will differentiate the good from the bad. May God help us to always believe in him and raise us to new life at the end. Amen
Blessed Lenten period
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