(This reflection is about the Gospel from cycle A which will be read this Sunday for the scrutinies at the 10:00 AM Mass.)

In this week’s Gospel we hear the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. In this Gospel, it is made very clear that Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus very much. Despite this great love, Lazarus still became ill and died. We realize that believing in Jesus does not mean that bad things will not happen. We know that Jesus loves us all very much, and wants the best for us, yet we have all experienced troubled or dark times at one point or another. Maybe we have felt hopeless and have been dead in our day to day life. Like Martha and Mary we must look at our troubles with faith filled eyes because it is in our darkest moments that our faith can resurrect our love of life.

When Jesus resurrects Lazarus, we learn that with faith, anything is possible. Even in death there is hope. I also know that Jesus loves me, yet years ago, my own brother became sick and after a long, hard battle to live, he eventually passed away in spite of my prayers. I may not have received the miracle that Lazarus’ sisters received but I felt peace that my brother would have a better life in the loving arms of our Father. The phrase in this Gospel that encapsulates the beauty of our faith is when Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. We must live our lives with faith filled hearts in order to have joy in this world and the promise of life in the next.