3/22/2026 (Sunday) Today’s Gospel reading: John 11:1-45

1 Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 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.
3 So the sisters sent word to him saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”
4 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.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”
9 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.
10 But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
11 He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”
12 So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
13 But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
14 So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died.
15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.”
16 So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.”
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him.
30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him.
31 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.
32 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.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled,
34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
35 And Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
37 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?”
38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
39 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.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me.
42 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.”
43 And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 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.”
45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Note: A shorter version of the gospel can be used: John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45

3 The sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”
4 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.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.
7 Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
33b he became perturbed and deeply troubled,
34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
35 And Jesus wept.
36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
37 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?”
38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
39 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.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me.
42 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.”
43 And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 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.”
45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

3/22/2026 (Sunday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: John 11:1-45

This Gospel narrative tells the powerful account of the raising of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, by Jesus Christ. This story is not only about a miracle but also about faith, hope, and the way God can bring life even in situations that seem completely hopeless.

When Lazarus became seriously ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus, believing that He could help. Yet when Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been buried for several days. For Mary and Martha, it must have felt like the answer to their prayers had come too late. They were grieving, confused, and perhaps wondering why help did not come sooner. Many people today experience similar moments in life. We pray, hope, and wait, but the answers do not seem to arrive when we expect them.

One of the most inspiring lessons from this story is that God’s timing is not always the same as ours. When we face delays or unanswered prayers, it does not necessarily mean that God is absent or indifferent. Sometimes greater things are unfolding beyond what we can immediately see. For example, someone might apply for many jobs and face rejection again and again. At first it feels discouraging, but later they may discover that the opportunity that finally comes is far better suited for their skills and purpose. What once seemed like a delay becomes a doorway to something greater.

Another powerful moment in the story is the compassion of Jesus. When He saw the grief of Mary, Martha, and the people around them, He shared in their sorrow. This reminds us that God is not distant from human suffering. He understands our pain and cares deeply about our struggles. In modern life, we also see how compassion can bring healing. When a friend sits beside someone who is grieving, listens patiently, and offers comfort, that presence becomes a reflection of divine love.

The story also teaches us the importance of faith even when circumstances appear impossible. By the time Jesus arrived, the situation looked beyond repair. Lazarus had already been placed in a tomb. From a human perspective, nothing could be done anymore. Yet the miracle that followed revealed that no situation is too difficult for God.

In today’s world, many people experience moments that feel like “sealed tombs” in their lives. A broken relationship, a lost opportunity, a long illness, or a deep personal failure may seem final and irreversible. But the message of this story reminds us that God has the power to bring new life even out of situations that appear completely finished.

Another meaningful lesson is that miracles often involve human cooperation. People were asked to move the stone from the entrance of the tomb. This simple action shows that faith sometimes requires us to participate in God’s work. In practical terms, this means taking steps forward even when we feel uncertain, seeking reconciliation, starting again after failure, or helping someone who is struggling.

Ultimately, the story of Lazarus invites us to trust that hope is never truly lost. Even in moments of darkness, God can transform despair into new beginnings. When we place our trust in Him, what seems like an ending may become the beginning of something extraordinary.

Go here to read further Gospel reflection.