Homily – Fifth Sunday of Lent (A)

This week has been a joyful one for our community as we celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation with fifty-three students from our schools and parish. Through the preparation sessions, both in classrooms guided by our teachers and in the church gathering space led by Katarina Steele, our children were given many opportunities to learn about and reflect on the Sacraments, with particular focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The core message that emerged from these sacramental preparations and celebrations did not simply focus on helping these young students identify things that might hinder them from flourishing and deepening their relationships with God and with one another; it also created sacred spaces and moments for them to experience a God who is merciful and forgiving. The selected hymns and Scripture readings, together with the personal and sacramental encounters, reinforced this message.

When we understand the Sacrament in this way, it becomes meaningful and life-giving at any point in our lives. Nevertheless, its message seems even more powerful and clear at a time when the world is experiencing so much turmoil and trouble. It is especially important to promote and proclaim a message of hope and joy through forgiveness and reconciliation in a world that often promotes hatred, conflict, and violence over peace and love.

A couple of years ago, after a similar sacramental celebration, I was making my way to the front of the church to farewell people when I happened to overhear one mother say to another, “It is good that they teach children about forgiveness.” Her words surprised me. I imagine that many parents already live out this message at home, even if it is not always spoken about directly. Yet the comment served as a reminder that we should never underestimate the importance of sharing the teachings of Christ through simple but meaningful moments of encounter – especially with our children. While we may not always see the immediate effects of the Sacrament, ensuring that it is offered and accessible to all remains essential.

Celebrating forgiveness and reconciliation with God is a way of celebrating a God who is life-giving. In a week’s time, we will celebrate the core mystery of our Christian faith – the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. It is for this reason that all the Scripture readings for this Fifth Sunday of Lent invite us to reflect on a God who loves life. He is the author of life, the source of life, and the one who has the power to raise and restore life. The reading from the prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel of John, through the story of the raising of Lazarus, reiterates this message: “When I open your graves and bring you up from them, O my people… I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live” (Ezekiel 37:13–14). The Gospel highlights that to believe in a God of the Resurrection is to believe in a God who can liberate us from the darkness of sin and death into new life: “‘Lazarus, come out!’… ‘Unbind him, and let him go free’” (John 11:44).

While the first reading and the Gospel emphasise the image of a God who has the power to restore life, the second reading, from the letter of Paul to the Romans, urges us to focus on embracing the Spirit of Christ. He teaches that by doing so, we belong completely to Him, and this enables us to possess life, because the Spirit of Christ is life itself. It is important to dwell in this Spirit, as it allows us to promote a culture of life rather than a culture of death.

As we move closer to the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, let us remind ourselves that we are children of light and life, not of darkness and death. May the light of Christ shine forth in every one of us so that, through our witness, we may help bring about a world of life, joy, and hope.

By Fr Sang Ho