杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

During his Angelus, on this fifth Sunday of Lent, livestreamed from the Library of the Apostolic Palace, 杏MAP导航 Francis took inspiration from the day鈥檚 Gospel; the resurrection of Lazarus.

The 杏MAP导航 recalled the desperation of Martha and Mary who said to Jesus, 鈥業f you had been here, my brother would not have died鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis reflected that Jesus, according to the Gospel, is moved by the tears of the sisters and cries aloud for Lazarus to come out of the tomb, which he does, wrapped in strips of linen.

God gives life and takes life

The Pontiff noted that in the Gospel passage, 鈥渨e are able to touch with our hand the fact that God is life and gives life, yet takes on the drama of death.鈥�

鈥淛esus could have avoided the death of His friend Lazarus鈥�, explained the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渂ut He wanted to share in our pain for the death of people dear to us, and above all He wished to demonstrate God鈥檚 dominion over death.鈥�

 In the Gospel, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渨e see that man鈥檚 faith and the omnipotence of God鈥檚 love seek each other and finally meet.鈥�

Amid grief, continue to have faith

God鈥檚 response to the women鈥檚 cry of 鈥榠f you had been here鈥�, is not a speech, 杏MAP导航 Francis underlined; it is Jesus saying, 鈥業 am the resurrection and the life鈥欌�� have faith.

鈥淎mid grief, continue to have faith, even when it seems that death has won. Take away the stone from your heart! Let the Word of God restore life where there is death鈥�.

Take away the stone

The 杏MAP导航 pointed out, that even today 鈥淛esus repeats to us: 鈥楾ake away the stone鈥欌��.

鈥淭herefore, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued, 鈥渨e are called to take away the stones of all that smacks of death鈥�, such as the marginalization of the poor, and the hypocrisy with which faith is lived.

鈥淭he Lord asks us to take away these stones from our hearts鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渁nd life will then flourish again around us.鈥�

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis prayed that 鈥渢he Virgin Mary would help us to be compassionate like her Son Jesus, who made our pain His own鈥�. 鈥淢ay each of us鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渂e close to those who are in difficulty, becoming for them a reflection of God鈥檚 love and tenderness, which liberates us from death and makes life victorious.