Vulnerability expressing perfect love
March 22, 2026 – 5th Sunday of Lent
Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130, R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.; Romans 8:8-11; Gospel – John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45
The Raising of Lazarus is one of the most dramatic scenes in the Gospels. As some people would say, it is dramatic both in its deep spiritual and theological meaning and in its narrative impact.
The context of this story adds to its meaning. This is our first point for reflection. Then we look at how this shows to us the depth of Jesus’ humanity. Finally, it prefigures for us the glory of the gift of the Resurrection.
This raising of Lazarus is the final narrative in the first part of the Gospel of John, the Book of Signs. This pivoted us to the second part, the Book of Glory.
The Book of Signs gave us seven miracles of Jesus, beginning with the turning of water into wine in the wedding feast in Cana.
Through these miracles, the signs Jesus performed, we got to see his identity and captured a glimpse of his mission. Miracles revealed to us the central grace of God, compassion, and mercy. In the face of death, Jesus showed the depth of his compassion.
The Book of Glory brought us to the start of Jesus’ struggle and tension with the religious authorities. He was to fulfill the prophecies of his passion, death, and Resurrection in this book.
This pivot point story showed us the depth of the humanity of Jesus, a humanity that will make us understand his divine nature.
Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus. He felt what it was like to lose someone he loved, a dear friend, to death. He also felt the pain and suffering of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, who were close friends, too.
Here, Jesus showed his vulnerability as a person. He was moved and affected by the pain and suffering of others, and he himself felt this pain and suffering.
It is our vulnerability that makes us capable of love. Jesus’ vulnerability reached its perfection on the Cross, not only a psychological and emotional vulnerability but also a physical one. Even physically, he was defenseless on the Cross.
Yet, this total vulnerability expressed his perfect love, which saved us. The perfect love born out of loving obedience. He made himself vulnerable to the evil and cruelty of men that led him to his passion and death on the Cross.
Because he chose this, it transformed the suffering and pain into the perfect sacrifice of love that saved us.
We cannot love if we do not choose to be vulnerable to the beloved.
As Hannah Hurnard wrote, when you love someone, you give that person the power to hurt you in a way that no other person can.
It is this perfect love made possible by Jesus’ choice to be vulnerable for us that made our salvation possible.
In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus prefigured his Resurrection. He showed his power over death and the promise of the Resurrection for those who believe in him.
“‘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 Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’” (cf. John 11: 3-45)
This is the final word of our faith. Life does not end in death and suffering. Everything in our life has meaning because of this. The final word is joy, the joy of the Resurrection.
Our core proclamation of faith is “Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ will come again.” And this is the horizon of the meaning of our life.
