Fifth Sunday of Lent

During this fifth week of Lent we will contemplate the mystery of God’s timing. We’ve all experienced the often frustrating reality that God’s timing isn’t always our timing. In fact, at times it can seem that God’s time is never what we’d like it to be. We often become frustrated that God doesn’t step in and act when we think he ought to do so.

In this Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus goes to his friends Mary and Martha, who are mourning the death of their brother Lazarus. The women wonder why Jesus didn’t come sooner, since they believe that he could have prevented the death of Lazarus. While they think Jesus is too late to do anything, his timing works a much greater miracle than they ever expected.

Today, ask God for the patience to accept the events and circumstances of life in God’s time, not yours.

 This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.