This 5th Sunday of Lent is most interesting. It is traditionally known to us as Passion Sunday and begins a period of time known as Passiontide. It is on this Sunday that images begin to be veiled. Thus you will notice that the cross upon the altar and the crucifix behind the altar has a veil. This serve as a subtle reminder of our separation from God through sin. Hopefully we have a longing in our heart to be reunited with all that has been stripped away from our sight.
During this Lenten season there has been a lot which has been stripped away from us. By far this is not a normal Lent, so hopefully many have a longing to be reunited with elements of our faith that we have possibly taken for granted through the span of time and habit. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith and yet many at this time are unable to receive it. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should become front and center to our life and yet many have now gone weeks without it and we will not gather again for its public celebration for awhile including the solemn celebration of Easter.
With so many crosses now thrust upon us it might just seem as if there is no hope to be found. Hope is a central message to today’s readings. We are told of the reality of death, but also the new life which springs forth from it. Thus in our reading from the Prophet Ezekiel we were told: “I open your graves and have you rise from them” and “I will put my spirit in you that you may live.” From our Gospel we were also instructed concerning the raising of Lazarus who was dead for a period of 4 days, but brought back to life through his interaction with Christ Jesus.
I agree that it is sad news that we will not gather together publicly for the celebration of Easter. Nevertheless, remember the fact that Easter will indeed come. The Cross is something which is very important for us to bare, but we must also remember the importance of the Resurrection. The Resurrection always points us towards the hope of something greater which will come. When we are forced to bare the weight of the Cross, which is very important for us to do, we must also keep our sight on the life which is to come through the Resurrection.
Again I say what I said last Sunday. I do not nor do you know what next week will bring. Nevertheless, I do know that Christ surrendered Himself upon the Cross for us and rose again on the third day. I hope that each of us will latch onto this same hope and prepare for its arrival. In the days which lay ahead we will not be able to celebrate as we wish, but are still invited to prepare ourself to behold the great mystery of the Lord’s glorious Resurrection.
If we are prepare ourself for such a mystery we must heed the words found in our Epistle: “Those who are of the flesh cannot please God.” Hopefully we heed these words in light of the Lord’s Resurrection. Prior to this outbreak of the coronavirus we should easily be able to think of the many ways that people had taken their sight off of God. Even in days of being stuck inside have we drawn close to God or continued to relive our stress through the invitation of vice into our life? We must heed this advice and allow ourself to begin to live for the Lord and not of the flesh.
Let us continue to prepare for the Lord for very soon we will encounter Him and be given every reason to rejoice for everything that has been stripped away from us will be restored.
