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DAILY GOSPEL
Friday, 29th March 2024

John 11, 1-45

Date posted: March 26, 2023

March 26, 2023 (Sunday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John 11, 1-45
Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So, the sisters sent word to him, saying, “Master, the one you love is ill” When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” So, the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved” But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So, then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” So, Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus,” Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “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. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So, when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So, the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?” So, Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So, Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Reflection:
Raising Lazarus from the dead, as presented in the Gospel of John, is full of spiritual symbolism and worth considering of them for spiritual nourishment. On receiving the news of Lazarus being sick and dying, Jesus delays his visit to the family rather than rushing to help. His disciples warned Him of the danger of being arrested if He is sighted around Bethany. However, Jesus decided to see his friends Martha, and Maria gets emotionally moved when Martha expresses her failed expectations and finally orders Lazarus back to life. The miracle infuriates the religious leaders and causes the decision to kill Jesus. When Jesus was informed of Lazarus’ illness, Jesus assured them that Lazarus would not die. Instead, the glory of God will be brought out. When Martha proclaims that Lazarus will rise on the day of resurrection, Jesus advises her only to believe in Him, and she is ultimately rewarded for her faith in Jesus. Like in most cultures, men are not expected to weep publicly, yet with deep emotion, ‘Jesus wept’ (V 35), showing deep humanity and attachment for the two sisters. Lazarus was not resurrected but only brought back to his natural life. The final resurrection would occur later when Jesus had ultimately conquered sin and death. The narrative of Lazarus returning to his natural life indicates our need for uncompromising faith in the power of Jesus (as in Martha and Mary) and waiting patiently for God’s intervention in our prayers. Like the sisters of Lazarus, we need to love our Brothers and sisters, friends and relatives and seek help before it is too late. Ultimately it is Jesus who can wipe the tears from our eyes, express genuine empathy and love during our trials and tribulations, and help us to overcome our short and long troubles. “In this pluralistic and, in numerous places, secularized world, the Brothers need daily contact with the Word of God. It nourishes their whole life and helps them to understand people, events and the world, about God’s plan.” (THE RULE Art. 64).

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, “Every individual needs to be constantly exposed to or immersed in the pressing social problems to which we subsequently aim to contribute a resolution.” As Lasallians, we are challenge in nurturing the lives of others as what Jesus did to Lazarus. It was indeed a great gift to one’s friend allowing to die in the self. Let us imitate the giftedness of friendship between Jesus and Lazarus in doing our mission.

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.
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https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle