22/03/2026
5th Sunday of Lent | March 15, 2026
GOSPEL REFLECTION: John 11:1-45
The Gospel of John (11:1-45) the raising of Lazarus. When Lazarus falls ill, his sisters, Mary and Martha, send for Jesus, but He delays His arrival until Lazarus has been dead for four days. Upon arriving in Bethany, Jesus encounters two grieving sisters with different ways of expressing their pain—Martha with her direct questioning and Mary with her silent weeping. Deeply moved by their sorrow, Jesus Himself weeps, showing His profound humanity. He then approaches the tomb, orders the stone to be removed, and calls out, "Lazarus, come out!" To the astonishment of the crowd, the dead man emerges, still wrapped in burial linens. This act serves as a definitive sign of Jesus’ authority over life and death, leading many to believe in Him.
John 11: 1—45 slow’s me down, especially that“four days”. We’ve all prayed for a miracle a job, a healing, a relationship and felt like help showed up too late. I get Martha’s heartbreak when she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” That’s the same ache we’ve whispered in our lowest moments. But this passage reminds me that God’s “late” isn’t the same as “never.” Jesus wasn’t being cold. He was waiting for the moment when His glory could shine even brighter. What moves me most is that even though He already knew He was about to make things right, He still stopped to weep with them. That tells me my pain matters to Him, even when the answer is already on the way.
Gospel Sharer:
•Christine Joy Bartolo - MOAS Member
