Homilies | Father Nathan

Father Nathan | Homily

5th Sunday of Lent

Todays Readings:

First Reading — EZ 37:12-14

Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Second Reading — Romans 8: 8-11

Gospel Reading — John 11: 1-45

Lord untie the world and let it be free…

Focus on God instead of the problem ….

Remembering that Christ is there when there is problem…

My dear people,

I don’t know whether it’s right or wrong, we are all repeated that crying is some sort of weakness. “DON’T CRY, BE STONG”.

This jarring slogan might have reached to ears trillion times. Crying is one the emotions, what has the world gained by restraining it, in expressing it? I totally acknowledge, understand the uncontrolled or out of controlled emotions, those are to be channelized….

One of the most surprising parts of the story of the raising of Lazarus is the part where Jesus breaks down and cries. Christ crying???? Why is this so??? Perhaps it’s the sight of a man weeping in public that surprises us.

In general, men are not good at showing emotions. A man is supposed to take the knocks. Some people build a wall behind which they hide what is fragile in themselves: their deepest feeling about life and other people. The stoics of old were proud of their ability to conceal their feelings. They hid their anger, their sadness, and their joy.

Our own culture is NOT comfortable with tears either. Tears tend to be seen as a sign of weakness. Really??? But what is so natural, right, and healthy as tears when we lose a loved one? Besides, tears have a great therapeutic value, provided of course genuine, and not merely sentimental or a channel to use to end their

Jesus did not conceal his feelings. The gospel makes this clear. He was moved with pity on seeing the plight of the ordinary people. He wept over the city of Jerusalem because he saw that it was heading for destruction. And he wept on the way to the tomb of Lazarus.

There are times when a leader shows sorrow in public, and it doesn’t diminish him in the eyes of the people. Rather, the reverse. His vulnerability makes him more attractive. This is true of Jesus. The very fact that Jesus broke down tells us more about his heartfelt sympathy for Martha and Mary and his solidarity with them, than a thousand words.

Grief is one of the strongest emotions we are ever likely to experience. Some are embarrassed about expressing their grief in public. Believing that they are expected to bear up, they are suppressing their grief. It is now generally accepted that to suppress grief is not only bad but dangerous and may lead to serious emotional problems later on.

The way to deal with grief is not to run away from it, or pretend as though it’s not there, is not right disposition or attitude, rather to face it and work through it with as much honesty and love as one can. Shed tears are bitter, but unshed tears are even bitterer.

Now as we are all in this tense and nervewracking moment, what would be a thought that we all could take for our life.

Firstly, remember Christ was present in person when there was a problem.  In the same way, when we meet with problem, suffering or when we find ourselves in a chaotic situation, as we are now, we tend to think that we alone suffer all by ourselves…. please remember Christ suffers along with us.

The gospel says he was perturbed and cried bitterly.

The Lord cannot take it when we suffer. As we are all in this chaotic situation, remember with the whole church suffers with Christ and Christ suffers with the church.

Remember it’s the time to callout to him and invite him back to home, to our church, to our community and to our nation.

Secondly, as Jesus says today “untie him and let him go”. Now the whole world need to hear the same words of Jesus that came out from his very mouth Jesus that the whole world be untied from the bondage of this virus and freed from it that the whole world believe in Christ that he is God who always protect his people.

Let Jesus be deliverer and let him be our savior.

Amen…

Stay safe and be reassured that God is with you in this time of crisis and isolation!

Stay connected to others during this time through phone, email and social media.

Have a Blessed Week,

Fr. Nathan