Quote For Today: Angelic Virtue

 

Every virtue in your soul is a precious ornament which makes you dear to God and to man. But holy purity, the queen of virtues, the angelic virtue, is a jewel so precious that those who possess it become like the angels of God in Heaven, even though clothed in mortal flesh.

St. John Bosco

Bkg. Courtesy Of
Christian Backgrounds

Sonntags-Evangelium nach Johannes- u. Kommentar 10. 04.11

Evangelium nach Johannes 11,1-45. 

Ein Mann war krank, Lazarus aus Betanien, dem Dorf, in dem Maria und ihre Schwester Marta wohnten.
Maria ist die, die den Herrn mit Öl gesalbt und seine Füße mit ihrem Haar abgetrocknet hat; deren Bruder Lazarus war krank.
Daher sandten die Schwestern Jesus die Nachricht: Herr, dein Freund ist krank.
Als Jesus das hörte, sagte er: Diese Krankheit wird nicht zum Tod führen, sondern dient der Verherrlichung Gottes: Durch sie soll der Sohn Gottes verherrlicht werden.
Denn Jesus liebte Marta, ihre Schwester und Lazarus.
Als er hörte, daß Lazarus krank war, blieb er noch zwei Tage an dem Ort, wo er sich aufhielt.
Danach sagte er zu den Jüngern: Laßt uns wieder nach Judäa gehen.
Die Jünger entgegneten ihm: Rabbi, eben noch wollten dich die Juden steinigen, und du gehst wieder dorthin?
Jesus antwortete: Hat der Tag nicht zwölf Stunden? Wenn jemand am Tag umhergeht, stößt er nicht an, weil er das Licht dieser Welt sieht;
wenn aber jemand in der Nacht umhergeht, stößt er an, weil das Licht nicht in ihm ist.
So sprach er. Dann sagte er zu ihnen: Lazarus, unser Freund, schläft; aber ich gehe hin, um ihn aufzuwecken.
Da sagten die Jünger zu ihm: Herr, wenn er schläft, dann wird er gesund werden.
Jesus hatte aber von seinem Tod gesprochen, während sie meinten, er spreche von dem gewöhnlichen Schlaf.
Darauf sagte ihnen Jesus unverhüllt: Lazarus ist gestorben.
Und ich freue mich für euch, daß ich nicht dort war; denn ich will, daß ihr glaubt. Doch wir wollen zu ihm gehen.
Da sagte Thomas, genannt Didymus (Zwilling), zu den anderen Jüngern: Dann laßt uns mit ihm gehen, um mit ihm zu sterben.
Als Jesus ankam, fand er Lazarus schon vier Tage im Grab liegen.
Betanien war nahe bei Jerusalem, etwa fünfzehn Stadien entfernt.
Viele Juden waren zu Marta und Maria gekommen, um sie wegen ihres Bruders zu trösten.
Als Marta hörte, daß Jesus komme, ging sie ihm entgegen, Maria aber blieb im Haus.
Marta sagte zu Jesus: Herr, wärst du hier gewesen, dann wäre mein Bruder nicht gestorben.
Aber auch jetzt weiß ich: Alles, worum du Gott bittest, wird Gott dir geben.
Jesus sagte zu ihr: Dein Bruder wird auferstehen.
Marta sagte zu ihm: Ich weiß, daß er auferstehen wird bei der Auferstehung am Letzten Tag.
Jesus erwiderte ihr: Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben. Wer an mich glaubt, wird leben, auch wenn er stirbt,
und jeder, der lebt und an mich glaubt, wird auf ewig nicht sterben. Glaubst du das?
Marta antwortete ihm: Ja, Herr, ich glaube, daß du der Messias bist, der Sohn Gottes, der in die Welt kommen soll.
Nach diesen Worten ging sie weg, rief heimlich ihre Schwester Maria und sagte zu ihr: Der Meister ist da und läßt dich rufen.
Als Maria das hörte, stand sie sofort auf und ging zu ihm.
Denn Jesus war noch nicht in das Dorf gekommen; er war noch dort, wo ihn Marta getroffen hatte.
Die Juden, die bei Maria im Haus waren und sie trösteten, sahen, daß sie plötzlich aufstand und hinausging. Da folgten sie ihr, weil sie meinten, sie gehe zum Grab, um dort zu weinen.
Als Maria dorthin kam, wo Jesus war, und ihn sah, fiel sie ihm zu Füßen und sagte zu ihm: Herr, wärst du hier gewesen, dann wäre mein Bruder nicht gestorben.
Als Jesus sah, wie sie weinte und wie auch die Juden weinten, die mit ihr gekommen waren, war er im Innersten erregt und erschüttert.
Er sagte: Wo habt ihr ihn bestattet? Sie antworteten ihm: Herr, komm und sieh!
Da weinte Jesus.
Die Juden sagten: Seht, wie lieb er ihn hatte!
Einige aber sagten: Wenn er dem Blinden die Augen geöffnet hat, hätte er dann nicht auch verhindern können, daß dieser hier starb?
Da wurde Jesus wiederum innerlich erregt, und er ging zum Grab. Es war eine Höhle, die mit einem Stein verschlossen war.
Jesus sagte: Nehmt den Stein weg! Marta, die Schwester des Verstorbenen, entgegnete ihm: Herr, er riecht aber schon, denn es ist bereits der vierte Tag.
Jesus sagte zu ihr: Habe ich dir nicht gesagt: Wenn du glaubst, wirst du die Herrlichkeit Gottes sehen?
Da nahmen sie den Stein weg. Jesus aber erhob seine Augen und sprach: Vater, ich danke dir, daß du mich erhört hast.
Ich wußte, daß du mich immer erhörst; aber wegen der Menge, die um mich herum steht, habe ich es gesagt; denn sie sollen glauben, daß du mich gesandt hast.
Nachdem er dies gesagt hatte, rief er mit lauter Stimme: Lazarus, komm heraus!
Da kam der Verstorbene heraus; seine Füße und Hände waren mit Binden umwickelt, und sein Gesicht war mit einem Schweißtuch verhüllt. Jesus sagte zu ihnen: Löst ihm die Binden, und laßt ihn weggehen!
Viele der Juden, die zu Maria gekommen waren und gesehen hatten, was Jesus getan hatte, kamen zum Glauben an ihn.

Auszug aus der liturgischen Übersetzung der Bibel 

Kommentar zum heutigen Evangelium  

Hl. Petrus Chrysologus (um 406-450), Bischof von Ravenna, Kirchenlehrer 

Predigt 64; PL 52, 379 

„Da weinte Jesus“

„Als Jesus sah, wie Maria weinte und wie auch die Juden weinten..., war er im Innersten erregt und erschüttert...“ Maria weint, die Juden weinen, auch Christus weint. Glaubst du, dass sie alle den gleichen Schmerz empfinden?  Maria, die Schwester des Toten, weint, weil sei ihren Bruder nicht bei sich behalten noch den Tod abwenden konnte. Ihr Glaube an die Auferstehung hat ihr nicht geholfen, sie hat den verloren, der ihr größter Rückhalt war; der Gedanke an seine schmerzliche Abwesenheit, die Trübsal einer langen Zeit der Trennung lassen ihre Tränen fließen, sie kann sie nicht mehr zurückhalten... Welcher Art auch immer unser Glaube ist: der unerbittliche Anblick des Todes muss uns anrühren und bestürzen. Auch die Juden weinten, sie dachten an ihre eigenen Sterblichkeit, weil sie nicht auf ein ewiges Leben hofften... Ein Sterblicher kann nicht umhin, angesichts des Todes zu weinen. 

Was hat Jesus für einen Grund zu weinen? Keinen? Warum weint er dann? Er hatte gesagt: „Lazarus ist gestorben und ich freue mich für euch... Jetzt aber vergießt er die Tränen der Sterblichen, sogar jetzt, wo er von neuem den Geist des Lebens ausgießt. Brüder, so ist der Mensch: Freude und Schmerz lassen Tränen fließen... Christus, der durch sein Wort, durch ein Wort nur, alle Toten zum ewigen Leben erwecken soll, hat nicht geweint, weil ihn der Tod trostlos gemacht hätte, sondern weil er an die Freude dachte... Wie könnte man auch annehmen, dass Christus aus menschlicher Schwäche geweint hat, wenn der himmlische Vater über seinen verlorenen Sohn nicht weint, als dieser von Zuhause weggeht, sondern dann, als er ihn wieder bei sich hat? (Lk 15, 20)... Er hat zugelassen, dass Lazarus stirbt, weil er, um seine Herrlichkeit kundzutun, den Toten auferwecken wollte. Er hat zugelassen, dass sein Freund in das Reich des Todes hinabsteigt, damit Gott erscheine und den Mann aus der Unterwelt wieder heraufhole. 

The Word: "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God!"

Apr 8, '11 7:57 PM for masuzette's contacts

Sunday (April 10)

John 11:1-45

    Now a certain man was ill, Laz'arus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Laz'arus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." 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."

    Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz'arus. So when he heard that he was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go into Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" 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.  But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."  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."  The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."  Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.  Then Jesus told them plainly, "Laz'arus is dead;  and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."  Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Now when Jesus came, he found that Laz'arus had already been in the tomb four days.  Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,  and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house.  Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have  died.  And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."  Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"   She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world."

     When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."  And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.  Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.  When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.  Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have  died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

    Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb; it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been  dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Laz'arus, come out." The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him  go." Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him;

Meditation

Scripture says that a true "friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17), but why did Jesus, a friend of Lazarus, delay in coming to Lazarus' home when he knew that his friend was gravely ill?

Jesus certainly loved Lazarus and his two sisters and he often stayed in their home at Bethany. But to the surprise of his friends and disciples, Jesus did not go right away to Bethany when he was called. Jesus explained that Lazarus' sickness would bring glory to God. The glory which Jesus had in mind, however, was connected with suffering and the cross. He saw the cross as his supreme glory and the way to glory in the kingdom of God. For Jesus there was no other way to glory except through the cross.

Jesus also knew that it was dangerous for him to travel anywhere near Jerusalem at this time, since the religious authorities in Jerusalem were plotting his destruction. Jesus, however, was willing to pay the price to help his friend. For Jesus to come to Jerusalem at Passover time was an act of courage. The explanation which Jesus gave to his disciples was simple and challenging at the same time. "Are there not twelve hours in the day?"

In so many words he said: "There are enough hours in the day to do what one must do." A day can neither be rushed nor extended. Its period is fixed. In God's economy we each have our "day" whether it be short or long. While time is limited, there is enough for us to accomplish what God intends. God gives each of us our allotted portion in life.  We can either waste it or use it to the utmost for God's glory. Jesus did not let circumstances or pressure dictate what he would do. Nor did he permit others to dictate his actions or timetable. He took action of his own initiative and in his good time. 

Don't we often try to get God to do things in our way and on our timetable?

Both the Romans and the Jews divided the day into twelve equal hours from sunrise to sunset. The day's work and travel, however, ceased when the daylight was gone. If someone wanted to get their day's work done, he had to do it before it got dark. Jesus made a spiritual analogy with our relationship with God. While the light of Christ is with us, we must live and walk in the truth and grace of his light.  There's a right time to make peace with God, and that time is now. When darkness comes, then judgment follows for those who refuse God and spurn his love.

When Jesus announced that Lazarus was dead and that he was going to Jerusalem, Thomas showed both his courage and pessimism. "Let us go, that we may die with him." This courage, however, was not tempered with faith and hope in God's promise to bring victory out of defeat. Even though Thomas was a witness to Lazarus' resurrection, he betrayed his master when arrest and death stared him in the face.  He doubted his master's resurrection until Jesus showed him the wounds of his passion. God gives us faith, courage, and the strength we need to persevere through any trial and suffering we must face in this life.  If we embrace our cross with faith and trust in God, then we, too, will see victory and glory in the end.

What is the significance of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?

It is more than a miraculous event. It is a "sign" of God's promise to  raise up all who have died in Christ to everlasting life. That is why Jesus asked Martha if she believed in the resurrection from the dead. The Christian creed, which is the profession of our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in the saving power of God, culminates in the proclamation of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and in life everlasting. This is our faith and our hope. "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal  bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you".

(Romans 8:11)

God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit that we may be made alive in Christ.  Even now we can experience the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in our personal lives. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change and transform us into men and women of faith, hope, and love.

Do you believe that the power of Jesus' resurrection is at work in your life today? 

Let the Holy Spirit strengthen within you the life and joy of God and the hope of heaven.

The name Lazarus means "God is my help". Jesus' parable of the poor man Lazarus who died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:19-31), ends with a warning:

"If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead."  Through Lazarus' sickness and subsequent death, God brought glory through Jesus his only begotten Son, who raised his friend from the dead in anticipation of his own death and resurrection.
Psalm 27 ends with the great prayer of hope in the resurrection: I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord!

Do you find joy and hope in the resurrection of Christ?

"Lord Jesus Christ, you have ransomed us with your blood and restored us to life with the Father in heaven. May your resurrection be our hope as we long for the day when we will see you face to face in glory."

Daily Reading & Meditation
 Don Schwager

Bkg. Courtesy Of  Christian Backgrounds

PRAYER REQUEST FROM SIS. BERNADETTE

God Bless you all for all the prayers that you are offering for my family and for myself.

We in turn offer our sufferings for all those who asked for our prayers and for all of whom I have promised to pray for.

We are in need of special prayers for April 19th. Right after my son Kevin's death we found out that my husband Kenny may have cancer of the jaw bone. We will be going to Boston VA Hospital on the 19th for a bone biopsy.

Also our daughter Kerrie, 33 years old will be having surgery on the 29th due to pre cancer cells on her Cervix.

Please continue to pray for us. I have also lost my little job of caring for a lady (for almost 15 years). She passed away on the 20th and I happen to be the one to see her dead on her parlor rug.

This Lent has been a tough one, but I KNOW that the LORD LOVES us and I continue to Thank HIM in all circumstances.

I also keep you and all your intentions in my daily prayers.

Thanking you in advance for all your love, prayers and support during this difficult time.


Love & Prayers,
Bernadette
(grandmum227)






Bkg. Courtesy Of
Christian Backgrounds

Happy Birthday - dear Maria!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! ~*~ Dear Maria! Congratulations on your birthday. God bless you always. HE may you for your new life Health, happiness, joy and satisfaction give. Kind regards from Heidi ~*~ Liebe Maria! Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu Deinem Geburtstag. Gott segne Dich allezeit. ER möge Dir für Dein neues Lebensjahr Gesundheit, Glück, Freude und Zufriedenheit schenken. Herzliche Grüße von Heidi