BELIEVE

March 22, 2026 – Fifth Sunday of Lent

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032226.cfm)

While consoling Martha at the death of Lazarus, Jesus in our gospel today of  said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Do you believe in this?”

“To believe and not to believe Jesus as the resurrection & the life?” is the very basic question of our Christian faith. Each and every one of us is confronted at every moment of our life, from birth to death, from womb to tomb with this question: “Do you believe in Jesus as the resurrection and the life, or not?” This is the very question we are confronted with: as to our parents – from the moment of our conception; as we are, as we grow and mature as a person until our deathbed; and as to our loved ones, at the moment of our death.

We do believe, as followers of Christ, in Jesus Christ, our resurrection and our life. Whenever we say “Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again,” we proclaim the mystery of our faith. Yes, as Christians, we believe in Jesus Christ. We believe in the death, resurrection and the parousia (the 2^nd Coming) of Jesus Christ. And, in the Apostles’ Creed, we profess our faith in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. This would mean that our faith in Christ lead us, followers of Christ, to believe that like Jesus, after death we will rise again, and someday we will share in His eternal life.

This is clearly expressed in our practice and traditions regarding burials. Since we may raised the question: “Why all the elaborate ceremonies, maintain memorial parks and cemeteries, yearly visits & the mass intentions for our beloved dead, …. if we don’t believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?”

This is what we believe. This is our faith. For some, like the Sadducees, this is crazy and ridiculous. For others, this is absurd and unbelievable. But for us, this is mystery of our faith, the core expression of our faith. This is the meaning of our being Christian. Resurrection and eternal life are the meanings of Christian life and death.

Our faith-conviction in the resurrection of the body and life-everlasting then means that, we believe in Jesus, who has died, has risen and will come again as the Resurrection and the Life. And because of His death and resurrection, to believe Christ and follow Jesus is worth living and dying for, as shown to us by faith of our martyrs, our saints, & our beloved dead. His death, resurrection, and promise of eternal life offer us Life – giving us hope, meaning and cause to live in this present world. That is why we honor our beloved souls and saints, because they have lived and died faithfully believing in Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life.

By their very Christian examples, we witness their faith, giving us hope, and meaning in our life and death. Believing in Jesus Christ then is our fundamental option, our core choice and response to God’s love.

As a priest, I have the opportunity and privilege to witness people’s faith. Parishioners and faithfuls ask for my blessings and my presence in their suffering and sickness, in their joys and sorrows because simply they believe. Sick people in their homes or hospital ask for a visit, communion or anointing because they believe. We attend mass because we believe. In confession, I hear not only the sins of the penitent but also the resolution and faith to come back to the Lord. For me, these are faith-encounters, opportunities, where I witness what we believe as we proclaim our faith.

As St. Augustine says, “Faith is to believe in what we do not see, but the reward of faith is to see and enjoy what we believe.” Thus, as the Lord asked for our faith, like Martha, pray we respond: “Yes, Lord, I come to Believe that You are the Christ.”

Perhaps then in preparation for our celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Christ this year and as always we grapple with life’s questions, frustrations, and challenges, may Thomas Merton’s prayer of abandonment express our true heart’s desire before our Lord whom we believe most….

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

So May it Be. Amen.