THE 5TH SUNDAY OF LENT : "LAZARUS COME OUT !!!" - OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST...........

I awoke just before 6 am, watched Meet The Press, arose at 7 am, washed up, shaved, dressed, made coffee, and had my breakfast, watched portions of Fareed Zacharia GPS, and Reliable Sources, vested and was ready at 8:20 am, for Pius, to assist me in getting over, and into the church, as well as positioned in the sanctuary, for the 8:30 am Mass.  Fr. Traynor concelebrated with me and was of help to me as the Mass proceeded.  Then following Mass IN joined him, and Tom and Ora Mae McLoughlin, who drove and treated us to breakfast at Sammy Restaurant on Del Paso Blvd.  Returning to the rectory, I have turned on the 4th Round of the Master's Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia; to see if Tiger Woods can close in on and overtake, the 21 year old Rory McElroy, of Holywood, (pronounced Hollywood, and I've beenn there) in Northern Ireland. 
Our Gospel Proclamation today, from John's Gospel, is the keen human interest story of Lazarus, Martha, Mary, and their close, personal relationships with Jesus.  Lazurus, Jesus' beloved friend dies, and Jesus stays away, allowing him to die and be entombed before he appears in the village of Bethany.  Jesus does so to be able to make Lazarus' Death a teachable moment for the Jews and His own Disciples.  By letting Lazarus die, Jesus by raising him to renewed Life, is able to effectively foreshadow the power of Resurrection He attains for all human beings who believe in and follow Him, by the experience of the Paschal Mystery.  Like Lazarus, we too can and will be raised to New Life, and the promise and hope of Eternity, by our fidelity to the Discipleship of Jesus Christ we are initiated to embrace.  The weakness and deadliness of Sin, is vanquished by the love and grace of God, manifested in the Resurrection and the Life Jesus is for us.  As you enter this 5th week of the Springtime of the Church, may you do all you can do, to rise above the deadliness of sin and selfishness, and ready yourself to discover the new life God has prepared for you this Easter, and in the Eternal Easter of God's Kingdom...........Like Lazarus May You, "Come Out Of The Tomb Into The Light,   Fr.  Troy