Reflection on John 13:21-33,36-38

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Tuesday 7, 2020

Judas was once one of Jesus’ most trusted disciples, but from the moment he planted a kiss on Jesus’ cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane, he sealed his own fate and became known as history’s most famous traitor. But by identifying Jesus to the Jewish authorities, Judas set into motion series of events that became the foundations of the Christian faith: Jesus’ arrest, his sham trial, his death by crucifixion, and resurrection, which we collectively called the Passion of Christ. 

Who was Judas?

Though the Bible did not say much about Judas’ background, all four canonical Gospels of the New Testament— Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, name him among the 12 closest disciple or Apostle of Jesus. Some scholars believe that one of the things  that might set Judas apart from the rest of the disciples is his origin— he was not from Galilee. They believe that his last name (surname) “Iscariot” suggests he may have come from the southern part of the country, meaning that he may be a little bit of an outsider. But the question frequently asked is: why would Judas betray Jesus even after Jesus had announced, “One of you will betray me?” There are several theories as to why he betrayed his Master.

• The Gospel of John and Luke cite Satan’s influence, rather than mere greed, as a reason for Judas’ betrayal. However, John made it clear that Judas was already an immoral and corrupt man before the devil got him. He was the treasurer. He kept the “common purse,” the fund that Jesus and his disciples used for their ministry and he also stole from it. This means that before the devil used him, he was already the spiritual weakling among Jesus’ Apostles. 
• Another theory insists that it was his love for money that led him to betray his Master.
• Yet, another theory suggests a more political motive. Scholars who push this theory argue that Judas became disillusioned and disappointed when Jesus showed no interest in fomenting a rebellion against the Romans that will lead to re-establishing an independent kingdom of Israel. 
• There are some scholars that alternatively submit that the reason why Judas gave Jesus away is that like the Jewish authorities at the time, he, Judas could have seen a rebellion as potentially dangerous for the Jewish people in general. This school of thought believe he was concerned that as more and more people believe in Jesus, they may hail him as the Messiah; and if that happens, the Roman authorities will unleash terror on the Jews. So, in order to prevent a large rebellion against Rome which would motivate the Roman authorities to strip whatever little freedom that Israel had, he decided to hand Jesus over. This means that Judas’ betrayal was a personal preemptive effort to protect his people and nation. 
• Another theory also has it that Judas wanted to fool the chief priests; he wanted to make money from their hatred of Jesus. The proponents of this view claim that having watched Jesus perform countless number of miracles, Judas convinced himself that when arrested, Jesus would do something miraculous to set himself free. So, when that didn’t happen after the arrest of Jesus, he realized what a big mistake he has made. It is the reason why he returned the money to the chief priests.   

Now, no matter what the real motive of Judas was for betraying Jesus, his greatest sin is not actually the betrayal of his Master. Don’t get me wrong. Betraying Jesus, an innocent man, his own Master is a big deal. His willingness to take 30 pieces of silver in exchange for his personal relationship with Jesus and his fellow Apostles is huge. But for me, Judas’ greatest sin is his refusal to be loved and forgiven by God. He considered his sin greater than God’s mercy. He reduced God as being incapable of forgiving him. 

When he realized that he has betrayed an innocent man, if only he had gone out and wept in repentance like Peter, his story would have been different. When you consider Judas and Peter, both committed the same sin of betraying Jesus. The only difference is that it was Peter who remembered that the “Lord is kind and merciful.” He wept bitterly. He repented. And after Jesus’ resurrection, he came to Peter, and gave him the opportunity to reaffirm his faith and commitment in him when he asked him thrice, “Simon, son of John, do you love me? (John 21:15-17). Peter denied Jesus thrice, and thrice Jesus gave him the opportunity to redeem his image and to reaffirm his unyielding love and faith in Jesus. 

You know, everyday is an opportunity for each of us to answer Jesus’ question: “Do you love me more than any secondary good in the world?” I pray that in your relationship and dealings with others, in the church, in your family, in your work place, in places where you buy and sell, on the streets, in your prayer life, and anywhere you are and may be, you are giving the right answer and saying with Peter, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

WHO AND WHAT IS THE ANTICHRIST?

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Monday, April 6, 2020

Hello friends, today, I will like to speak to you on the subject of Antichrist. As you already know, the subject of Antichrist is attracting a fresh and focused attention. Some people, including men of God, politicians and celebrities, have gone to town to declare that the 5G network is the Antichrist; some say it is a means through which the Antichrist and proponents of the new world order is using to enslave people around the world. Even Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.2 billion Catholics was recently called the Antichrist by a popular pentecostal pastor in Nigeria. So, I want to use this opportunity to look at the Bible once again and to see what it says about the Antichrist. 1 John 2:18-23 says

“Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge. I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth. Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist. No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.”

Now, most people who speak and write about Antichrist claim that the term “Antichrist” is mentioned in the Book of the Revelations, but they do not agree as to the particular chapter of the Book in which the mention occurs. Some of them think that the “Beast” mentioned in Revelation 11:7 is the Antichrist. Others think that the “red dragon” mentioned in Revelation Chapter 12 is the Antichrist. Others refer to the beast with seven heads and ten horns as the Antichrist. Some scholars identify Antichrist with the beast that had “two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon” (Rev. 13:11)  

For St. Paul, the Antichrist is the “man of sin.” One translation calls him “the lawless one.” Another one calls him “The Wicked One.”   

The notion of Antichrist is not limited to the Bible alone. There are several views as to what or who the Antichrist really is. Some of those views are:

1. The Antichrist is an individual person who is an enemy of Christ.
2. The Pope has been called the Antichrist. This is generally called “The Papal-Antichrist theory. It was developed between the 11th and 16th centuries. This opinion only became more pronounced from the Reformation era, and it has continued to this present day. As you can see, calling the universal leader of the Catholic Church, the Antichrist, is not actually new. Pastor Suleimane is not saying anything new. He only joined the list of the accusers of the brethren who have ignorantly taken this path. A few other protestant leaders and followers had also called the Pope, the Antichrist, sometimes due to jealousy, due to the fact that they cannot exercise the amount of authority that the pope has. But other times, they do so due to the powerful arguments made in support of the divine authority of the pope. We believe that the Pope of Vicar of Christ, and this gets protestants so upset.
3. There is another view that suggests that the Antichrist will not be a demon, or a devil incarnated person. It will rather be a human person, probably of Jewish extraction. 
4. Another view contends that the Antichrist is an evil principle, not embodied in a person or a polity. 
5. Some say that the Antichrist is a person of the past like Emperor Nero, Julian, the high priest Ananias, the Pharisees, and the Jews.
6. But check this out! If the Pope is the Antichrist, how come men and women who followed him became great men and women of God? It was Cardinal Newman who argued that “If the Pope is the Antichrist, then those who receive and follow him cannot be men like St. Charles Borromeo, St. Bernard, St. Francis de Sales.” Think about great men and women like St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Padre Pio, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Perpetual  and Felicity, St. Lucy, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Theresa of the Little Flower, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, to mention but a few who were loyal to the pope, served the Lord in spirit and in truth and made a huge difference in the lives of many. If the pope were the Antichrist, these heroic figures would not have been great ambassadors of Christ. 

Now, if you ask me what I think about the Antichrist, I will take you to the Gospel of Matthew 12:30 where Jesus says,  “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters" (Matthew 12:30). For me, the anti-Christ is anyone who is against Jesus Christ in words and deeds. Fornicators, adulterers, thieves, rapists, serial killers, corrupt government officials, fake pastors, unfaithful and unrepentant Christians, terrorists, murderers, liars, destroyers of names and reputations, wicked men and women, blood sucking cultists, immodest girls, drunkards, lesbians and homosexuals, those who love money more than their fellow human beings, cheaters, makers of fake goods, importers of fake goods, fraudsters, yahoo-yahoo boys, advance fee fraudsters (419ners), club and party obsessed people, pornstars, porn-watchers, masturbation addicts, drug addicts, drug peddlers, criminals, Nigerian politicians, many Nigerian police and soldiers, ruthless businessmen and women, the rich who oppress the poor, the powerful who oppress the weak, land- grabbers, money doublers, inconsiderate land-Lords and land-ladies, diabolical native doctors, abortionists, witches, wizards, juju-makers, those who consult native doctors or witch doctors in order to kill or harm someone or to make money, devil worshippers, satanists, Mr. and Mrs. kill joys, etc. are all AntiChrists. Why? Because they undermine, undo, and harm the work of Christ and his people. If you do any of these, repent from your sins now, and turn to Jesus. But if you persist in your sins, you are the AntiChrist.

The Antichrist are everywhere. They are in our government, in our streets, in churches, mosques, communities, families, work places, on social media, and anywhere there are human beings. In the Gospel that I just read (John 12:1-11), the Antichrist were the chief priests who plotted to kill Lazarus again simply because many Jews were believing in Jesus because of him— because Jesus raised him up from death. So unfortunate! If you are planning to undo or harm the good thing that has happened to someone else or the good thing that is about to happen to someone else, you are the Antichrist. All those young men and women in Lagos, Owerri, Warri, Portharcourt etc. who are using their computers, smartphones and tablets to defraud and steal the fruits of the handwork of others, you are the Antichrist. If you are a young lady and you are deliberately trying to corner the husband of your own friend, you are the Antichrist. If you are a man of God who is making false prophecies, using every means to empty the pockets and bank accounts of your church members, you are the Anti-Christ. Those Nigerian leaders— past and present, who failed to develop the land, rather stole the people’s money for the enjoyment of themselves, their family and friends, you are the Antichrist. The Nigerian police and army who shoot and kill innocent Nigerians, you are the Antichrist. Young girls and ladies who purposely wear skimpy and see-through dress just to get the attention of men, you are the Antichrist. If you persist in doing evil, in harming others, in stealing, and committing all manners of sins and crimes, I tell you now, you are the Antichrist. Stop looking for a giant beast, an ugly looking beast, a behemoth that is out there. It is not out there. You may be the one. But there is hope for you today. Turn to Jesus Christ and commit to him.  

Reflection on John 11:45-56

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Sisters and brothers, in today’s Gospel, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together and plotted to kill Jesus because he raised Lazarus from the dead. Shocking! Isn’t it? You would think that everyone will applaud Jesus, adore him, venerate him, follow him and above all believe him and believe in him for doing what no one could do. Bringing a dead person back to life is a huge deal. Think about this! Jesus spoke in time, he called Lazarus in time, and Lazarus who had passed unto eternity heard him and came back. Rather than see his miracles, signs and wonders, especially the raising of Lazarus from death as a further prove and testimony that Jesus is who he said he is, the chief priests and Pharisees convened and planned to kill him. Remember that Jesus had previously said to them, “If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” (Jn. 10:37-38). Remember again that when Jesus restored the sight of the man born blind, the same Pharisees argued that he was not from God. Even when the man born blind suitably observed, “If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything” (Jn 9:33), the Pharisees refused to believe. In the end, they told the man that he was totally born in sin and eventually threw him out. Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, and spoke powerfully and wisely to the amazement of everyone of the truths of God. He spoke and acted like God.  He could not have done all these except through God. 

But how did we get to this point? Today’s Gospel says that many of the Jews who had come on condolence visits to Mary and saw what Jesus had done began to believe in him. However, there were some— the haters, the naysayers, the jealous and envious people, the sadists, people who cry when others are happy and laugh when others are suffering— who left the scene and went straight to the Pharisees and reported what they had seen and witnessed. From that very moment, the powers that be began to lay the groundwork for the killing of Jesus. Rather than ponder over the works of Jesus and take a second hard look at him to see if he was truly the Christos of God, they wondered, “What are we going to do?”  They miss what should have been obvious: that God is working through Jesus. 

Now, I do not want to sound too dismissive of the worry of the chief priests and the Pharisees. Their concern was grounded in reality. They have every reason to panic about Jesus’ popularity and influence. According to their own submission, “If we leave him alone, all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” At that time, the Roman authorities’s punishment on anyone who dared them was quite excessive. They brutally suppressed any popular uprisings and revolts (Acts. 5:36-37). If Jesus attracted a large following and was hailed as the Messiah, Rome might preemptively strike to eliminate a perceived threat to its rule. They will strike not only at Jesus and his followers but will also remove the Jewish leaders for failing to deal with the threat posed by him. So, the fear of the Jewish leaders was that if they did not stop Jesus, the Romans will come and take away their land and nation, take away the Temple and whatever autonomy the Jewish people still enjoyed. There is an element of self-interest in their fears. They were concerned that Rome will take away their authority over the Temple and people unless they do something to stop Jesus. 

You know, by the time this Gospel was written, what the chief priests and the Pharisees feared had happened. In 70 A.D. the Roman army destroyed the Temple in their attempt to crush a Jewish revolt. And after the Gospel was written, Rome suppressed a second revolt in 135 A.D. and banned Jews from entering Jerusalem, thereby removing their last mark of identity as a political nation. 

I understand the fear and concern of the Jewish leaders. Their worry was based on reality. But this is where they got it wrong: They allowed their self-interest to lead them into doing something that is totally wrong, totally forbidden and completely sinful and criminal. They connived to kill Jesus thinking that their problems will be solved. How many times did you and me allow our self-interest to lead us into doing something that we know is completely against God’s will and against our nation? There are still among us people who after witnessing or hearing of something good that has happened to someone else would leave to distort what they had seen and witnessed. The phrase, “enemies of progress” is very familiar to us. Such people are still among us. We have them everywhere— in churches, in families, in working environment, in places of trade, among friends and places where we live. These people are jealous over every little good thing that happen to you. But when you suffer, lament and cry, they are happy. They are Mister and madam Kill Joy. Such people were part of the plot to kill Jesus. If you are one of them, today’s Gospel invites you to repent. When something good happens to another person, rejoice with the person. The blessing of another will not hinder your own blessing. There is enough blessing to go round. God has unlimited number of blessings for you, your neighbor and even for your enemy. If someone has received his or her own blessing, do not be jealous. Do not tarnish the person’s blessing. Not every wealth comes from the devil. Not every successful man or woman is a cult member. Do not forget that silver and gold belongs to God. God is capable of making people rich. If you think you have not been blessed in a great deal, be patient. But do not forget to work hard. Blessing is not going to walk into your bedroom and hug you. The principle here should be work and pray. God will remember you. And remember to thank God for the daily blessings you receive. If you are able to wake up today healthy, I bet you, you have been greatly blessed. If you doubt me, watch the news. 

Reflection on John 8:51-59

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Thursday, April 2, 2020

In today’s Gospel, Jesus insists, affirms and asserts his pre-existence by telling the Jews, his first listeners, and everyone else that “before Abraham came to be, I AM.”

In recent years, there has been a troubling tendency to reduce Jesus to the level of a great teacher or a great prophet or guru and to turn him into an inspiring spiritual teacher. Some Christian theologians even describe him as someone who is like us by virtue of his identity with the human race but different from us by the constant potency of his God consciousness. They describe him as someone who has a super God’s consciousness. They attempt to understand him not on ontological term but in psychological or relational term. Although this shift is more accessible to the modern mind, it nevertheless has had a negative consequences on how we teach and preach and evangelize. If the only difference between us and Jesus is that he has a superior God’s consciousness, then what really distinguishes him from let’s say prophet Muhammad who claimed he had a heightened awareness of God or the Buddha or a Sufi or a traditional believer or even St. Francis of Assisi? The psychological or relational approach to Christology commonly called the immanent approach turns Jesus into a super-saint. And if Jesus himself is merely a super saint, the question then is: is he really himself the Redeemer? It seems he  would need a redeemer himself as well. If Jesus has God’s consciousness even if it is to the highest degree, the question is: why do we particularly focus on him? Why do we evangelize him in particular? and why should Christians insist that everyone must follow him?

But Scripture teaches us crystal clearly that Jesus is divine. In the Gospel of John 14, Jesus himself declared, “Have faith in God; have faith also in me.” By doing so, he affirms his divinity. And throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus speaks and acts like God. At Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples not what people thought about his teaching, but who people think he is. No other religious figure would focus on himself as Jesus did. As Jesus was comforting Martha, the sister of Lazarus, he made a very bold declaration, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Later in the same Gospel of John 14:8, he said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” In today’s Gospel, he claims to the shocking of his Jewish listeners that he was before Abraham came to be. In all these and many more Jesus asserts that he is divine. That he is God. 

Sisters and brothers, it is because Jesus is divine, it is because Jesus is the very incarnation of God, Yahweh in human flesh, that is why he compels us to make a choice. It is either we are with him or we are against him. There is no sitting on the fence, and there is no other way to understand his word. To believe, accept, recognize and submit to the divinity of Jesus is what it means to be a Christian. 

On the Gospel of John 8: 31-42

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Friends, in those Gospel, Jesus tells the Jews who believe in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” On hearing that the Jews fired back and told Jesus that they were descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone and therefore do not need to be set free. But Jesus countered their argument, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remain.”

From this Gospel, we can see that everyone of us in a sense is a slave. From the most holy Christian to the less serious one, each of us is a slave. We are slaves to whatever sin we commit. We are slaves to our inadequacies and limitations. We are slaves to anger, immorality, lies, pride, wickedness, hypocrisy, slander, jealousy, backbiting, unforgiveness, tribalism, racism, pull him down tendency and every form of dysfunctionality in our lives. of course some people are more enslaved than others. A serial rapist and a killer, a terrorist, kidnapper, a cultist, a fake medicine dealer etc is obviously more enslaved than let’s say someone who curses another. But the truth is that each of us, in one way or another is a slave, a sinner. We are all dysfunctional.  

But we are not totally condemned, completely depraved slaves, with no hope of freedom. The good news is that we have a Savior— Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the hope of humanity. If we continue to look to him and look up to him and strive to remain in him, the more free we become. He is the one setting us free. He is the one making us better. He is the one shaping us in his own image. He is the one transforming us and remolding us and remodeling us. But if we stay afar from him, his transformative power may elude us. Stay close to Jesus. Remain in him.

Another good news is that we have a sacrament called the sacrament of confession. Through this sacrament, we are forgiven, restored, set free and encouraged to remain in Jesus and in his word. Now, the sacrament of confession is not a license to keep sinning. It’s a sacrament that above everything it does for a Christian, also reminds a Christian of the ugliness of sin and the need to stay connected to Jesus and his Church.

The God we serve is not an indifferent God

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Sisters and brothers, today’s Gospel is about the raising of Lazarus from death. It’s  about Jesus bringing Lazarus from eternity back to time. Although the story begins on a sad note but it ends with great joy. It is a story that reminds us once again of the fragility and vulnerability of the human person. And for those Christians who believe and teach others that faith in Jesus Christ immunes and exempts a believer from life’s misfortune, I hope this Gospel will help you to understand better. Lazarus, together with his two sisters, Martha and Mary were friends of Jesus. Jesus loved them and would occasionally visit them in Bethany to rest and hang out with his disciples. As fate would have it, Lazarus fell ill. It seems his condition was a critical one for his two sisters to send word to Jesus saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.” After Jesus received their message, he did not leave immediately to Bethany. His immediate response was, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be gloried through it.” By the time he came to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead and been buried for four whole days. 

Going by the emotional speech made first by Martha, and later by Mary to Jesus, they seemed disappointed, and may be upset with Jesus. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she did not wait for him to enter their village. She went straight to him and exclaimed, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When she returned to the house and informed Mary that the teacher was around, Mary too did not wait for him to enter their village and their house. Rather, she sprang to her feet, and on reaching to where Jesus was, she fell at his feet and repeated the very same words uttered previously by her sister, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Falling at the feet of Jesus could be an expression of anguish or reverence or both.

Now, this Gospel has a few catch phrases, hit quotes and punchline. One of them is an unprecedented yet powerful declaration by Jesus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Another is in a question form. When Jesus asked that the stone used to cover the tomb of Lazarus be taken away, Martha quickly warned, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Responding to her comment of objection, Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” Another punchline is a definitive statement again made by Jesus: “Your brother will rise.” In all of these declarations, Jesus demonstrates that he is the very incarnation of God, Yahweh in human flesh who is moving among his people. In this time of heightened fear, worry, anxiety, confusion and uncertainty, it is important for us all to remember that we are not alone. The Psalmist assures us that “The Lord of host is with us; and the God of Jacob is our stronghold” (Psalm 46:8). Like I said before, Martha and Mary seemed disappointed and angry that Jesus delayed in coming, yet they still put their hope and trust in him. While Martha, at the zenith and apex of her grief, still proclaimed her faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world; her sister with anguish and sorrow falls at Jesus’s feet. Like Martha, let us continue to hope and trust in the Lord. Like Mary, let us with total abandonment fall at the feet of Jesus. 

You know, the good news is that the God we serve is not an indifferent God. He is not a Deus absconditus— a God who absconds, runs away, hidden somewhere and ignores our suffering. He is suffering with with us. He identifies with us. At the house of Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Jesus wept. He wept with his friends. He wept because he cares and by so doing he shows his humanity and identifies with their pains and sorrows. The same manner he identified with the two sisters is the same manner he identifies with us today in our worries and fears. As we take all the precautionary measures each of us is encouraged to undertake to reduce the spread of coronavirus like washing our hands regularly, intentionally practicing social distancing, covering our mouth and nose when we sneeze and cough, not touching our face, sheltering in place etc, let’s also emulate the example set for us by Martha and Mary. Even in the face of pain and grief, they demonstrated their unyielding trust in Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life.

God bless you. We miss you. I really miss you. We are praying for you here and remember to pray for us as well. Together in prayer we will defeat this invisible enemy. Amen. 

Trust And Obey

Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Sunday, March 29, 2020

As far as we can determine, Jesus was not formally trained in any rabbinic school, nor was he educated to be a temple priest or scribe. He was not a follower of any of the Pharisees, or Sadducees, or the Essenes. He was in a way, a layman, an everyday Jew. He grew up in obscurity. We know almost nothing of his first 30 years. It is generally believed he was trained as a carpenter. But in 30 AD, he appears on the scene in a most extraordinary way. And throughout his ministry, he speaks and acts like God. He speaks with unprecedented and unnerving boldness. He claims personal authority over the Torah itself which was the divine law that was considered the court of final appeal for any faithful rabbi. He performs great miracles of healing and demonstrates a mastery over the forces of nature. In last Sunday’s Gospel, he restores the sight of a man born blind. In today’s Gospel, he speaks in time to Lazarus, and Lazarus who had transitioned unto eternity hears him and comes back. In both the cure of the blind man and the raising of Lazarus, (John 11:1-45), Jesus continues to demonstrate his unmatched authority over suffering and death. He says what no other religious figure ever said, “I am the Resurrection and the life.” To their infinite credit, Muhammad, Buddha, Confucius and other religious figures never made such bold claims. Muhammad only said he was a messenger, and that he received a message from God. Buddha never made such bold claim; he only said he found a way and wants people to follow it. Moses only said he received the law from God and wants to give it to the people. As for Jesus, he did not say he found a way, he said, “I am the Way.” He never said there is a new mode of life that he found and will like to share it with you. He says, “I am the life.” He never said there is this knowledge that he unraveled and want you to know it for it is the truth. He said, “I am the truth.” In today’s Gospel, he adds something totally new and powerful: “I am the Resurrection.” He speaks to Martha with unimaginable certainty and certitude: “Your brother will rise.” In all of these, Jesus demonstrates that he is the very incarnation of God; Yahweh in human flesh who is moving among his people. He also paints a beautiful picture of his mission and his intimacy with his Father. 

The story of the raising of Lazarus from death is a story that many of us know all too well. We have heard it over and over again, and may have even read it ourselves. It is a lengthy story that is difficult to break down during a regular Sunday Mass. For good and bad, I have the reputation of preaching long, and I am trying to do something about it. So, I am not going to retell the story or go into a detailed theological or spiritual or even emotional analysis and interpretation of today’s Gospel. The Gospel is littered with one liners, catch phrases, hit quotes, and punchlines. One of them is in a question form. When Jesus asks that the stone used to cover the tomb of Lazarus be taken away, Martha quickly warned, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Responding to her comment, Jesus asks her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” 

Sisters and brothers, Jesus Christ, our brother in our humanity and our Lord in his divinity is urging us to believe in him. In this time of heightened fear, worry, anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty, he calls us to still believe in him. Martha and Mary seemed disappointed that Jesus did not visit them on time: “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Yet, they believed that whatever Jesus asks of God, God will answer. Both sisters, at the zenith and apex of their grief, still believed and trusted in Jesus. In this deeply troubling time, we can emulate them. Jesus says that if we believe we will see the glory of God. And here is the good news. The God we serve  is not an indifferent God. He is not a Deus absconditus— a God who absconds, runs away, hidden somewhere and ignores human suffering. He is suffering with us. He identifies with us. At the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus in Bethany, Jesus weeps. He weeps because he cares. He weeps with his friends; by doing so, he shows his humanity, and identifies with their pains and sorrows. The good news from today’s Gospel is that Jesus identifies with his people through thick and thin. As we take all the precautionary measures we are being asked to undertake like washing our hands regularly, intentionally practicing social distancing, covering our mouth when we cough or sneeze, not touching our faces etc. let’s also do what the two sisters of Bethany— Mary and Martha did in the face of pain— trust in Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life. 

God bless you. We are praying for you here and remember to pray for us as well. Together in prayer we will fight and defeat this invisible enemy. Amen.