Monday, October 5
Liturgical Color: Green
Today is the optional memorial of St.
Faustina. St. Faustina developed a deep
spiritual life arising from her strong
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and
Our Lady. She died in 1938 and was
canonized 62 years later in 2000.
Day 278 - The Death of Lazarus
Today’s Reading: John 11:1-16
1 Now a certain man was ill, Laz arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Laz arus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz arus. 6 So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, “Our friend Laz arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Laz arus is dead; 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Today’s Commentary:
The raising of Lazarus is the sixth of seven “signs” that Jesus performs in John (12:18), giving emphatic support to his claim to give “life” (5:25-29; 6:40).
not unto death: Lazarus will in fact die (11:14). But this will not be his ultimate fate because Jesus will raise him to new life, affording an opportunity for others to glorify God by means of the miracle (9:3).
two days longer: The delay of Jesus proves fatal for Lazarus. This period of waiting is not a mistake or miscalculation, but part of his plan to generate faith in the disciples (11:15, 42). Raising the dead to new life will have a more profound effect on them than raising the sick to health.