Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne

Meditation by Pope Francis

Today, the fifth Sunday of Lent, the Gospel presents us with the raising of Lazarus (cf. Jn 11:1-45). This is the last of the miracles of Jesus recounted before Easter: the raising of his friend Lazarus. Lazarus is a close friend of Jesus, who knows that he is about to die; he sets out, but arrives home four days after the burial, when all hope seems lost. His presence, however, rekindles a little confidence in the hearts of his sisters Martha and Mary (cf. vv. 22, 27). They cling to this light, to this small hope, even in their grief. And Jesus invites them to have faith and asks them to open the tomb. Then he prays to the Father and calls out to Lazarus, “Come out!” (v. 43). Lazarus comes back to life and leaves. This is the miracle, simple as it is.

The message is clear: Jesus gives life even when there seems to be no hope left. Sometimes we feel hopeless—it's happened to everyone—or we meet people who have given up hope, who are bitter because they have experienced hardship, their wounded hearts unable to hope anymore. Because of a painful loss, an illness, a bitter disappointment, a wrong or betrayal suffered, a serious mistake made… they have stopped hoping. Sometimes we hear people say, "There's nothing left to do!" and they close the door on all hope. These are times when life resembles a sealed tomb: everything is dark, all we see around us is sadness and despair. Today's miracle tells us that this is not the case, that in these moments, we are not alone; on the contrary, it is precisely in these moments that He draws closer than ever to give us life again. Jesus weeps: the Gospel tells us that Jesus wept at Lazarus's tomb, and today Jesus weeps with us, just as he wept for Lazarus. The Gospel twice reiterates that he was moved with emotion (cf. vv. 33, 38) and emphasizes that he began to weep (cf. v. 35). At the same time, Jesus invites us not to cease believing and hoping, not to let ourselves be crushed by negative feelings that stifle tears. He approaches our tombs and says to us, as he did then, "Take away the stone" (v. 39). In these moments, we feel as if we have a stone inside us, and the only one capable of removing it is Jesus, with his words: "Take away the stone."