A Word from Fr. Hilary…
This Gospel speaks to all of us and gives us hope. It tells us that God is
stronger than death and He will bring all who are His friends into
eternal life.  The raising of Lazarus points out that the life we are
searching for is not
God.
destruction of the loving purpose God made us for.

an extension of physical life, but eternal life with
Real death is not

While the iron law of nature dictates that we must all die and go to
the grave, the life we share with God is not something which begins
after death.
God’s life was planted in us for the first time.  At that moment we
were given the power to start seeing
and to follow Him
there should be no going back on that relationship.

as Jesus sees, to love
to the right hand of the Father.  Once baptized

Unfortunately, many of us fail to hear
call to intimacy because we are not fully convinced
of being worthwhile objects of His love.  Part of our
trouble may come from being caught up
ways of the world and so enticed
pleasures that we refuse
and be free.  We hold on
grudges and stand on our dignity
not permit us to make up past differences.  As a
result, the life we receive at baptism weakens and
we become dead to the Voice of Christ calling us to
Himself and wanting to make His home in us.

in the
by its passing

to come out of our tombs
to selfishness, cling

to past
because pride

The story of Lazarus tells that in dying to sin we are born to eternal
life. These last days of Lent are about joining ourselves
and death of Christ by deepening our response
prayer, penance, acts of charity
in which this life grows.  Friends:  joining with Christ in His death is a
sure guarantee of sharing in His resurrection.

to His way of life;
and personal conversion

Let us unite in a life of friendship with Jesus,
Fr. Hilary