Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Lazarus, the one who Jesus loved, has died. Perhaps, you can feel the impact of that death on his sister Martha and those who come to grieve with her. Martha certainly believes in Jesus’ power, but she also believes that the time for that power to help has passed. She says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Maybe at one time, Jesus could have helped. But now He can no longer do so according to Martha’s understanding of the current situation. But there is so much more to come. You may remember the late Paul Harvey and his unique way of delivering the news. Each broadcast opened the same way; “You know what the news is. In a minute, you're going to hear the REST of the story.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This is the 28th Year that the United States has recognized and celebrated March as National Disability Awareness Month!

On February 26, 1987, President Ronald Reagan officially declared Proclamation 5613, making March National Disabilities Awareness Month. The proclamation called for people to provide understanding, encouragement, and opportunities to help persons with disabilities to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Everyone wants, and deserves, to enjoy life, feel productive and secure. But in March, we take extra steps to raise awareness about the supports and rights of the people with disabilities and to celebrate their contributions to our communities and society as a whole!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The woman in today’s Gospel needs Our Lord but she is completely unaware of the healing mercy and love of God. Her life, like her water jug, is empty. Even though we don’t know everything about her, we do know she had a difficult life.

First of all, she is a woman in a culture that was not easy for women. We also know that she has been married five times, and now she has another man in her life who is not her husband. How did this happen? Did some of them die? Were they abusive? Did they divorce her? Did she leave them? We don’t know. But any woman in that circumstance would not have been treated well and she was definitely not seen as a victim by others. She is alone.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Earlier this week, I walked into our church around 7:45am to hear confessions and I noticed several people quietly making their way around the church while silently praying the Stations of the Cross. It is very moving to see the faith, love, and devotion that is so present in the many people at our parish. It is a beautiful witness and truly a gift for this pastor to see this love for Our Lord day after day and year after year. That “walk” of course, recounts Our Lord’s journey to the cross to satisfy the debt of our sinfulness.