5th Sunday of Lent – Year A
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: March 22, 2026
As he came to place where Lazarus was dead in the tomb, it says that, “Jesus began to weep.” When is the last time you cried, that you really wept? Perhaps at the death of a loved one, maybe when you were feeling lost due to something that was really discouraging in your life. I have to admit I will often cry at certain films. We never weep alone, the living God is there with us, Jesus who also wept is there with us.
This story reminds us of the resurrection, that there is life after death. But, it also reminds us that there is supposed to be life before death. Lazarus is dead, buried in a tomb. Are we buried in any tombs in this life? Tombs can be any human situation where we feel dead, where we feel there is no hope to come out from them.
Some possible tomb like situations:
Depression or other mental health issues. In those moments, it can feel that we are buried, we are alone, will never get better and there is no way out. Also, for family and friends it can seem that our loved one is buried in a tomb and not able to live. But, these people trying to support a loved one struggling can also be in a tomb, feeling helpless, as they try to reach out but there is no response.
Resentment can be like a tomb. We are hurt or upset by someone and we remain in a tomb of resentment, sometimes for the rest of our lives. I remember a talk given to priests and the presenter spoke about how sometimes there will be a priest who felt hurt by the bishop in some way, and then that priest remained bitter and resentful the rest of his life. Even after 30 years when that bishop was long gone that priest remained buried in that resentment.
Addictions can like tombs. The person with that addiction must feel buried, with the damage being done to their life, but feeling that they cannot leave that tomb. Family members of someone in addiction can feel like their loved one is gone from them and never to leave that tomb.
Divorce can be like a tomb. Especially if someone has left an abusive situation or had someone leave them in an unexpected way. It can feel like a tomb. It can take time to heal and to allow the voice of Jesus to call to us, “come out.” Sometimes it can feel that they are not welcome in the church or that they can never really be back in full communion with the church.
But, the church today speaks more like Jesus in calling people not to remain in the tomb of divorce. Come out and be set free. Jesus wants you to live fully and fully in communion with the church. Failings in our life can feel like tombs. Failings in education or in our career or business. It can be so discouraging, especially if we are comparing ourselves to others, and we wonder if we still can have a new life.
Shame can also be like being buried in a tomb. Guilt can be a good thing if it is awareness that we have done something wrong and need to accept responsibility for something bad we have done. But, shame is when we feel that we are bad. It eats away at us and our self esteem. It can feel that I am so wrong that there is nothing I can do.
For family or friends of someone buried in one of these tombs, it must feel like Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. Lazarus is dead and buried and there is no hope of him living with them again. When a family member or friend is buried in one of these tombs, it can feel so much like there is no hope. Then like Mary we need to go to Jesus and kneel before him and present our loved one or friend to Jesus.
What do we need to hear in our hearts from Jesus. He says, “Lazarus, come out.” He says to you and to me, “come out.” Do not remain in these tombs. I want you to live.
Confession is a beautiful Sacrament. It can be a wonderful experience of Jesus calling people out of the tombs of sin. In this Sacrament we hear Jesus saying to the penitent, “come out.” Be set free and live again. Each person who comes to Confession, at the end it is like I am saying to this person what Jesus says to Lazarus, “come out.” Be set free and live fully. Do not remain buried in your guilt. It is hard when I see people, who even after Confession just cannot accept that forgiveness, sometimes about things that happened decades ago. They remain buried in shame about themselves.
So, are you buried in a tomb? Is there some tomb that keeps you buried and unable to live fully? If we have family or friends or colleagues who seem to be buried in some tomb, we need to hear Jesus saying to us, “Unbind him, and let him go free.”
Our faith teaches that there is life after death, but it also teaches that God wants us to have life before death. Do not remain in tombs, hear Jesus calling you out of any tombs where you are buried. Hear Jesus calling to you, “Come out!”
