I Am the Resurrection and the Life: Fifth Sunday of Lent, by Gayle Somers

By Gayle Somers, Catholic Exchange, March 20, 2026

Gayle Somers is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Phoenix and has been writing and leading parish Bible studies since 1996. She is the author of three bible studies, Galatians: A New Kind of Freedom Defended (Basilica Press), Genesis: God and His Creation, and Genesis: God and His Family (Emmaus Road Publishing). Her latest book, Whispers of Mary: What Twelve Old Testament Women Teach Us About Mary is available from Ascension Press. Gayle and her husband Gary reside in Phoenix and have three grown children.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus turns mourning into joy when He raises Lazarus from the dead.

Gospel (Read Jn. 11:1-45)

This Gospel gives us a story about Jesus raising the dead to life, something He did on at least two other occasions (see Lk. 7:11:17, Mk. 5:21-23).  This episode, however, is profoundly different from those in three ways: (1) Lazarus was a dear friend of Jesus, not a complete stranger; (2) Jesus purposely allowed His sick friend to die; and (3) the dead man was in a tomb long enough to decay.  With these details, we find ourselves in a resurrection story that will penetrate deeply into the mystery of the miracle.

St. John tells us that the sisters of Lazarus sent word to Jesus that he was ill.  They appealed to Him in their darkest hour because of His great love for them (Jn. 11:5).  Instead of speeding to their home to help, Jesus announced that “this illness is not to end in death, but it is for the glory of God” (Jn. 11:4), and He stays two days longer where He was. …

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