5th Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 5th Sunday in Lent:

1. Ezekiel 37: 12-14
2. Psalms 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
3. Romans 8: 8-11
4. John 11: 1-45

• Don't give up hope, no matter how much it hurts
• Hope makes us resilient in the face of adversity, even persecution.  But its easy to lose hope if we take our eyes off the source of all hope.
• Have you ever given up hope for something?  Maybe it was that your children would regain their faith, maybe it was a hope for some political outcome in our country, maybe it was hope for proper recognition of your contributions, ...
• Did you ever regain that hope?
• Did you come to hope for something else, instead?
• Was that new hope better than the old one? 

• What is it that you want?
• God is all knowing, so there is nothing that we can tell Him in prayer that He does not already know.  God is immutable, so we cannot change His mind.  We cannot coerce God in any way.  So what is the point of intercessory prayer anyway?
• What is something that you really prayed for with all your might?
• Why did that matter to you?
• Did you have a good idea of what God wanted in that situation?
• Did you ever find out what God wanted in that situation?
• How did praying that way help you? 

• Indwelling of the Spirit
• We sacramentally confer the gift of the Holy Spirit on our confirmandi.  What does that actually accomplish?
• What are some times/places/events in which you especially felt the presence of the Spirit?
• What did that Presence allow you to accomplish?
• Do you feel/act that way all of the time?
• Would you like to?
• What would that sort of closeness to the Spirit require of you? 

• Take away the stone
• Sometimes, something that was in our lives that served a perfectly legitimate purpose gets to a place where we just have to let it go, in favor of something even better.
• What are some things that you've had to let go of in your life as you've gradually drawn closer to Jesus?
• How did you come to know that that person, place, thing, activity needed to go?
• Was it hard to let go?
• What became possible in your life once you were free of that?
• Would you do anything differently if you had to go through that whole process again? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• How can I discern God's calling in others?
• What does God desire for me?
• Where might the Spirit be leading me today?
• Where might God be calling me to greater freedom?

What about my hummus?

When word reached us of Lazarus' death, I knew what to do.

His sisters would likely have half the surrounding villagers at their home.

Food would run out in hours, not to mention the wine.

 

All that I had were some chickpeas and an old press.

I went to one neighbor to barter for a few choice spices.

I went to another for some olive oil on loan.

 

I spent the next morning making a batch of hummus

Not wanting to arrive empty-handed.

And set off for the home of Mary and Martha.

 

My mouth feeling strange that I had to stop before uttering Lazarus' name.

Their home no longer his.

He's now forever confined to a cold, dark, stone house.

 

I arrived and saw what you would expect.

Mourners, professional and amateur milling about.

Mary and Martha trudging through their hospitality.

 

I barely had a chance to give them my hostess gift -

When suddenly word ricocheted through the crowd -

Jesus is here!  Too bad He got here too late to do any good.

 

Like the others, I followed Mary to the tomb.

Not having anything helpful to say, except "I came as soon as I could."

A soft word, a gentle touch, a knowing glance exchanged here and there.

 

And soon I was embraced by the crowd of mourners.

All of us sharing our loss of Lazaras.

All of us in sympathy with the rest of us.

 

Jesus and His disciples were there too.

Then Jesus shocked us telling us to roll away the stone.

All the customary ceremony had been followed.

 

What need had we to disturb the dead?

How would this help us, the living, move forward?

What good would it do?

 

Then Jesus called, and Lazarus answered.

And I asked myself what else might be possible -

If God is willing to even raise the dead.

 

Maybe I can find it in my heart to forgive my brother -

For seizing my share of the inheritance.

And shaming me before the rest of the family.

 

Maybe I can find it in my heart to reach out to Jacob -

My cousin the tax-gatherer.

I miss him and his family so.

 

Maybe I can share some chickpeas with the beggar on my street.

They are not much, but they are all that I have this week.

He has even less. 

 

Maybe I can rise in my own small way. 

 

Shalom!