Gospel: John 11:1-45 Year A
The sisters sent Jesus a message: “Lord, your dear friend is ill.”
When Jesus heard it, he said, “The final result of this illness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory.”
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he received the news that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was for two more days. Then he said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”
“Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her.
“I know,” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and all those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord!” she answered. “I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people who were with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. “Where have you buried him?” he asked them.
“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
Jesus wept. “See how much he loved him!” the people said.
But some of them said, “He gave sight to the blind man, didn't he? Could he not have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Deeply moved once more, Jesus went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone placed at the entrance. “Take the stone away!” Jesus ordered.
Martha, the dead man's sister, answered, “There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!”
Jesus said to her, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believed?” They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.” After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” He came out, his hands and feet wrapped in grave clothes, and with a cloth round his face. “Untie him,” Jesus told them, “and let him go.”
Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did, and they believed in him
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition)
© 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Prayers
God of light and power we give thanks to you for the gift of life.
Help us reach out to others to share the light with everyone through kindness.
Amen.
We pray that our leaders are inspired to help others We pray for the sick that they may receive the care they need.
We pray for our own parishes and families that Jesus may bring them hope.
Amen
