Year A
Lent
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Contextual Background:
Jesus raises Lazarus from the tomb. Grief, delay, anger, and hope swirl as Jesus weeps and then calls his friend out into life.
Within the Jewish Tradition:
Resurrection hope grew in Israel as a vision of God’s justice beyond death. Prophets promised that dry bones would live. This resurrection was not just a piece of good news for Lazarus and his family. It was a sign that the People of Israel could be raised from the death of Roman Occupation. This occupation infected every level of people’s lives. New life was coming to all of these aspects of human life.
The Challenge Then:
The challenge was to believe that God’s power of life was present even in grief and decay.
The Challenge Now:
We live under a religio of death — systems of violence, greed, and despair. Jesus proclaims life even there. He calls communities to unbind the risen and set them free. There is hope for us yet, and God’s promises continue to be true.
Implications for Leaders & Communities:
- Leaders: accompany grief with honesty and hope.
- Communities: practice “unbinding” — freeing people from shame, poverty, and exclusion.
What I Am Learning:
God’s power of life meets us in the tomb and calls us out.
The Question I’m Sitting With:
What tombs in my community is Jesus calling us to open so that life can emerge?
