The Fifth Sunday in Lent 2026
March 22, 2026
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Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45
The
story of Lazarus is compelling because it is one of the final scenes before
Holy Week and it gives us hope in the Resurrection. It teaches us how to live
now especially when we are faced with the death of a loved one. Two of the most
emotional lines are found in the Gospel: “Jesus wept,” and “See how much he
loved him.” It tells us something about the heart of God who finds sorrow in
our misfortune.
The
Ezekiel passage shows us the God opens the graves of the Israelites and calls
them to rise from them. Jesus acts in the place of God when he opens the tomb
of his friend, Lazarus, who can now rise to new life. Jesus changes around the
Jewish belief about a future resurrection when he says, “I am the resurrection
and the life.” He makes sure that Martha knows that the resurrection is not
only a future belief or an event that happens to Jesus after the Crucifixion.
He tells her that resurrection is about a relationship with Christ now. He
tells her that eternal life begins when we believe, not only when we die.
What
does this mean for us. Belief in Jesus means that we can live differently now
because Christ has our back. We can leave fears behind because fear is not
faith, and faith calls us to leave our tombs and experience the fullness of
life. Martha asks Jesus, “Why didn’t you come sooner?” and he tells us what
matters is not time, but belief. The only time that matters is now, and belief
in Jeus will take care of all manner of things.
While
Jesus raises Lazarus to life, and by implication, Jesus raised people to new
life, he asks the community to help remove the bandages. He says, “Untie him.”
There are so many layers of relationships that bind and limit people, and Jesus
wants the community to set Lazarus free, to see us free of the restrictions
that community places upon us. To do this, we must forgive. We encourage others
and speak life-giving and life-sustaining words. We heal fractured
relationships and we reconcile our suffering. What does Jesus do: He infuses
his love into death. He weeps for Lazarus and loves him back to life. Jesus
does the same for us. Therefore, it is important for us to put love into places
where lost has been lost or where love is absent. It is the power of this love
that heals, and it is given to us because we have eternal life.
The
question for us is, “Who needs my love to be freed from the shackles of life?
How can my love give someone new life?” We, as community, help others live
freely. What fear do I carry with me that prevents me from living to my full
potential? Whose love do I need to liberate me from what holds me back? Jesus
wants to give us newness of life, a renewed sense of energy and engagement, a
meaningful purpose. We belong to him because his love has the power over death.
His love knows no boundaries. His love is what transforms our world into a
liberating breath of life. Hear Jesus speaks the words, “Untie Lazarus. Untie
your loved one. Untie you.” Then our work begins. We then let each other go
free.
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