5th Sunday of Lent, Year A –
March 22, 2026
Ezekiel
37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45
Theme: From Death of Sin to New Life with
Jesus
A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 11:1-45
1. Historical
and Literary Contexts
The
background of our Gospel story involves a conflict between Jesus and the Jews.
Jesus traveled to Judea to attend the Feast of Tabernacles secretly because the
Jews planned to kill him (7:1-2, 10). At some point, he entered the temple area
and began teaching openly (7:14). The chief priests and Pharisees sent guards
to arrest him (7:32), but no one laid hands on him (7:44) because the guards
were also convinced by Jesus’ teaching (7:45-46). The Jews attempted to stone
Jesus twice: first, when he declared that “before Abraham came to be, I AM”
(8:58-59), and second, during the feast of the dedication (10:22-42), just
before our Gospel story, when he proclaimed that he and the Father are one
(10:30-31). Immediately after our Gospel passage, the Sanhedrin will meet to
decide to kill Jesus (11:45-54). Therefore, through the story of the Raising of
Lazarus, the evangelist wants readers to understand that Jesus’ gift of life to
Lazarus results in his own Passion, Death, and Resurrection. He also depicts
Lazarus as a symbol of the new life that the Resurrected Jesus will give to all
believers.
2. Form,
Structure, and Movement
In
this Gospel narrative, vv. 1-6 serve as an introduction, while v. 45 functions
as a conclusion. The main part of the text is divided into four sections. The
first section (vv. 7-16) describes Jesus and his disciples' reactions after
hearing about Lazarus's illness. The second section (vv. 17-27) depicts the
meeting between Jesus and Martha. The third section (vv. 28-37) shows Jesus
meeting Mary and the Jews who have come to comfort Martha and Mary. The fourth
section (vv. 38-44) covers the events surrounding Jesus's resurrection of
Lazarus.
Vv.
1-6. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are siblings living in Bethany, a village near
Jerusalem about two miles away (cf. v. 18). Mary is described as the one who
anointed Jesus with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; this story
will be retold by the evangelist later in 12:1-11. Both sisters, Martha and
Mary, send word to Jesus about their brother Lazarus’s illness. They address
Jesus as kyrie, which can be translated as “Master” or “Lord,” and describe
Lazarus as “the one you love.” When Jesus receives the news, he explains that
Lazarus’s illness is not meant to lead to death but to reveal God’s glory and
to glorify the Son of God, Jesus, through it (v. 4). It may seem odd that
Jesus, who loves these three siblings (v. 5), does not visit them when they
need him most. Instead, he chooses to stay where he is for two days (v. 6).
This shows that human reasons cannot measure Jesus’s actions. Here, Jesus
responds to a purpose greater than any reader’s expectations. His love for
these siblings will be shown later when he “raises” Lazarus and reveals God’s
glory.[1]
Vv. 7-16. Jesus instructs the disciples to go
with him to Judea (v. 7). The disciples remind Jesus of how the Jews tried to
stone (kill) him in Judea (cf. 8:59; 10:31) (v. 8). Through this reminder, the
disciples misunderstand Jesus’ purpose for traveling to Judea. They think Jesus
has accepted his own death and is asking them to join him in a risky, perhaps
suicidal, mission. Thomas shows this misunderstanding when he urges his fellow
disciples to go and die with him (v. 16). However, Jesus has two main purposes
for this trip: to wake up Lazarus (v. 11) and to strengthen his disciples’
faith (v. 15). In response to their worries about the Jews who might try to
stone him again, Jesus assures them that it is safe to walk during the day
guided by him, the “light of the world” (vv. 9-10). The phrase “Twelve hours in
a day” refers to “the Jewish way of counting twelve hours of daylight and
twelve hours of night.”[2]
Vv. 17-27. Jesus arrives in Bethany, and
Martha meets him on the way before he reaches the house. In their conversation,
Jesus acts like a teacher, guiding Martha through the growth of her faith as he
did with the Samaritan Woman (4:5-42) and the man born blind (9:1-41). There
are three steps or levels in Martha’s journey of faith. Level 1: She is
disappointed that Jesus arrived too late (v. 21); yet she still “knows”
(understands but not fully believes) that whatever Jesus asks of God, God will
give him (v. 22). Jesus’ encouragement in v. 23 increases Martha’s faith to
level 2, where she believes in the Resurrection of the dead but only on the
last day, not in this world (v. 24). Finally, Jesus’ catechetical words in vv.
25-26 bring Martha to level 3, the fullest of her faith. She confesses, “Yes,
Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one
who is coming into the world.” (V. 27).
Vv.
28-37. Because of her complete faith in Jesus, Martha becomes a missionary.
Like the Samaritan woman, who shared the Good News about Jesus with her town
and brought others to him (4:28-29), Martha shares the Good News with her
sister, Mary, and helps bring her to Jesus. When Mary meets Jesus, she repeats
Martha’s silent protest: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have
died.” (V. 32). But her faith journey looks different from Martha's. Mary’s
faith develops quickly, drawing her closer to Jesus (v. 29) and leading her to
“worship Jesus by falling at Jesus’ feet (v. 32), just like the man born blind
did in 9:38. The narrator reveals that Jesus was “perturbed” and deeply
“troubled” by Mary and the other Jews’ tears (v. 33), and he also wept (v. 35).
The
evangelist uses two different verbs for weeping. Dakryo is used for
Jesus’ weeping, while klaio is used for Mary and the Jews' weeping. This
distinction shows that Jesus’ tears and emotions cannot be reduced to simple
mourning. First, Jesus’ emotion demonstrates his determination to complete his
mission, which involves ending the devil's reign and revealing God's glory. He
will finish this mission when he dies on the cross. Second, the weeping of Mary
and the other mourners reminds Jesus of the weeping of his suffering Mother
Mary and the women of Jerusalem, who will accompany him on his way to the
cross.[3] This anticipatory memory
moves Jesus to tears as he expresses his love for his Mother Mary and the women
of Jerusalem.
Vv.
38-44. Jesus commands that the stone be removed from Lazarus’ tomb (v. 39a).
Martha expresses concern about hygiene; she reminds Jesus that there will be a
stench since four days have passed since Lazarus died (v. 39b). Jesus points
out that her worries contradict the faith she showed in him earlier in v. 27.
After a solemn prayer to God (vv. 41b-42), Jesus brings Lazarus back to life
with a dramatic command to Lazarus in a loud voice (v. 43). Lazarus comes out
wrapped in burial bands and clothes (v. 44a). Jesus orders the people present
to untie him and let him go (v. 44b).
V.
45. The words Jesus told his disciples in v. 15 and the words he mentioned in
his prayer to God in v. 42b have been fulfilled. Many Jews at this event began
to believe in Jesus.
4.
Synthesis
Jesus
raised Lazarus to reveal God’s glory and to glorify himself. He guides Martha
in her faith journey, turning her frustration toward Jesus into a sincere
profession of faith. Mary’s faith in Jesus quickly deepens as she falls at his
feet and worships him. The mourning over Lazarus causes Jesus to feel disturbed
and deeply troubled, which leads him to weep. His tears show his resolve to end
the devil’s reign and to reveal God’s glory. His tears also reflect his love
for his suffering Mother Mary, who, along with a group of women from Jerusalem,
will mourn for him on the way to the cross. With this emotional resolve and
determination to complete his mission, Jesus raises Lazarus with a solemn
prayer to God and a dramatic command. Then he tells those present to untie
Lazarus and let him go.
1. Liturgical Context
Here
we are on the last Sunday of our Lenten journey. As we approach the Paschal
mystery celebrations, the Bible readings for this Fifth Sunday of Lent invite
us to reflect on the transition from death to life. The first reading
emphasizes this change when Ezekiel prophesied over the people of Israel that
God would open their graves, raise them up, put his Spirit in them, and they
would live. This is what Jesus did for the dead Lazarus in our Gospel. He opens
his grave and calls him back to life. At Easter, Jesus will open the graves of
our old lives and give us new lives with him when the catechumens receive the
sacraments of initiation, and all of us, the baptized, renew our baptismal
promises. We will transition from death to new life with Christ at that moment.
From then on, we should make sure that we are living in the Spirit, not in the
flesh, as Saint Paul exhorts us in today’s second reading.
2. What
the Church Teaches Us Today
John
begins this story by describing how Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother
Lazarus loved one another and their friendship with Jesus. They informed Jesus
of Lazarus's illness. They are united, care for, and love each other. Many
families are divided today, with siblings often not speaking to one another.
This introductory part of our Gospel (Jn 11:1-6) presents an image of a good
family to emulate. Let us strengthen our family relationships. Our local Church
is also our family, where we are brothers and sisters. Let us love and care for
each other. When Jesus received Martha and Mary’s invitation, he chose not to
respond immediately, waiting two days, even when it seemed too late because
Lazarus had already died. This teaches us that God’s timing is not our timing.
God answers our prayers in His time, and we should be patient and trust Him.
To
visit Lazarus, Jesus and his disciples must go back to Judea. This is the town
where the Jews tried to stone (kill) him twice. His disciples are worried about
going back there. They are concerned for their safety. Sometimes, we also miss
serving our brothers and sisters because we want to protect our lives and our
dignity. Jesus tells us that “those who walk during the day do not stumble
because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble
because the light is not in them.” (vv. 9-10). Jesus is our light. He
illuminates our lives. When we walk with him, we will never stumble.
Upon
his arrival, Jesus first meets Martha, who expresses her frustration with Jesus
because, according to her, he came too late; Lazarus had already died. This is
a common feeling. We also act similarly when we feel our prayers go unanswered.
In his response, Jesus, like a teacher, instructs Martha and us about faith in
him. He tells us that he is the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in
him will have eternal life in heaven, which begins now. During this Lenten
season, Jesus is guiding us on our journey of faith step by step until, like
Martha, we reach the height of faith and proclaim: “Yes, Lord. I have come to
believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into
the world.” (v. 27). This is the faith the catechumens will profess, and all of
us, the baptized, will reaffirm at the Easter Vigil Mass.
Faith
in Jesus transforms Martha into a missionary. She shares the good news about
Jesus's arrival with her sister Mary: “The teacher is here and is asking for
you” (V. 28). Mary responds immediately and goes to Jesus (v. 29). The first
lesson the Church teaches us here is that the new life with Jesus we begin at
Easter involves a mission because faith in Jesus without action is nothing.
Baptism makes us missionaries who spread the Good News to everyone, starting
with our family members. The second lesson is that, like Mary, our response to
Jesus’s invitation must be immediate. Jesus invites us especially to join him
and participate in the Eucharistic celebration, where he speaks to us through
the Scripture readings and shares his Body and Blood in Holy Communion. He also
invites us to the sacrament of Confession, where we can experience the
forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing he offers. He invites us to many other
sacraments.
When
Mary approaches Jesus, she first kneels at his feet and worships him. Then,
like her sister Martha, she shares her sorrow because Jesus has arrived too
late; their brother Lazarus is already dead. Despite how frustrating it can be
when our prayers seem unanswered or when we believe it is too late and nothing
more can be done, let us follow Mary’s example and keep kneeling at Jesus’ feet
to worship him. Nothing can stop us from worshiping our God. “He is good all
the time,” even when things do not go the way we hope.
Jesus
now encounters Lazarus in his tomb. He commands the stone covering the tomb to
be removed. First, he prays to his Father God with authority, commanding
Lazarus to come out. Lazarus emerges wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus then
instructs the people to untie him and let him go. This scene foreshadows what
will happen at the Easter Vigil. The sacraments of initiation for the
catechumens and the renewal of the baptismal promises during this Easter Mass
will symbolize our resurrection and the beginning of new lives. We, who follow
Jesus along his path of the cross and are willing to let our old lives of sin
die with him on Good Friday, will be resurrected with Jesus at Easter and start
anew. The prophecy of the Dry Bones we heard in our first reading teaches us
the same truth.
In
the context of our first reading, Ezekiel already knows that the bones
represent his fellow citizens, the exiles in Babylon, and those who remained in
the devastated lands of Judah and Jerusalem. The prophecy that begins our first
reading addresses these miserable people of Israel. God promised them: “I am
going to open your graves; I will make you come up out of your graves, my
people, and bring you back to the land of Israel.” (V. 12. NABRE). Biblical
scholars are divided in interpreting this prophecy. Some argue that this
prophecy has nothing to do with the resurrection of the dead; rather, it
pertains to the restoration of the national hopes of Israel. Other biblical
scholars maintain that this text is about the resurrection of the dead, as it
explicitly describes resurrection from the dead. Here is my interpretation,
which reconciles both points of view. First, this prophecy concerns the exiles
in Babylon, who were considered spiritually dead because they had lost
everything (king, land, and Temple). Ezekiel reassures them that God has not
abandoned them, and one day he will bring them back to their land as he
promised. Second, the prophecy is also addressed to the Israelites (especially
the exiles in Babylon) who, at the time of Ezekiel, were nearing death and were
worried that they would never personally see the fulfillment of God’s promises.
In his prophecy, Ezekiel tells them that their faith in God is not meaningless.
Even though they die physically, God is going to open their graves and make
them come out of their graves to fulfill what He promised them in His covenant.
Note that God’s covenant is eternal.
Ezekiel’s
prophecy still applies to us today. We are called to keep our hopes in God,
trusting that the sufferings we face now will eventually end, whether during
our lifetime or after death. We should not see death as a deception or a
failure of God’s promise. Instead, like God did with the “Dry Bones,” the
people of Israel, and Jesus did with Lazarus, we believe that God will give us
new life now and in the heavenly kingdom. For our part, we should make sure we
are living in the Spirit, as Saint Paul teaches us in our second reading. To
stay in the Spirit, we need to avoid sin, attend Mass regularly, especially on
Sundays, use the sacrament of Confession when needed, support our Church, and
do good works wherever we are.
May
the liturgy of this Mass help us move from the death of sin to new life with
Jesus. Amen.
Rev. Leon
Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of
Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &
SVD USS
Biblical Apostolate Coordinator
