SERMON/HOMILY FOR 5TH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: THERE IS NOT A FRIEND LIKE JESUS
BY: Fr. Christian Eze
HOMILY: First reading – Ez. 37:12-14
Second reading – Rom. 8:8-11
Gospel – Jn. 12:20-30
In life, we encounter many people who become our friends. Some friends are reliable while others are not. Some are trust-worthy and some are not. Some would betray their friends. Experiences as such have made a lot of people become very skeptical about making friends, or they suspect every movement of their best friends. But there is a friend one can always rely on. There is a friend who never betrays. The family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus got such a great friend in the gospel of today.
In Luke 10:38, we read the account of Jesus being welcomed in the house of these two sisters. Their care and hospitality gained them a friend like Jesus who stood beside them in their moment of tears. What kind of friend do you keep? Are they such type that would be with you only when things are good? What a friend we have in Jesus who knows us and all our troubles! The Igbo song “I mebe enyi imetabeghi” Jesus…attracts my attention here. In John 15:15, Jesus chose to call us His friends. He so much cares for those who are His friends. Imagine the risk He took going to Judea even when the disciples had reminded Him how narrowly He had escaped being stoned there. But the affection He had for His friends – Mary, Martha and Lazarus, made Him opt for it. Jesus is ready to do anything in the interest of those who make Him their friends.
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What is more, He has the power to save those who trust in Him even from death. This power is that which is capable of bringing back to life every good thing in you that has gone down. If this same power could make the dry bones in Ezekiel 37 come back to life, why do you think you would not get up strong again when Jesus has become your friend? Because he was a friend of Jesus, Lazarus did not remain in the grave. If only you would agree to make Jesus your friend, that situation of your shall not end you up just like that. St Paul sought no other thing than knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection- Phil 3:10. You will be revived when you make Jesus your best friend. All it demands is what He asked Martha: do you believe? When you answer YES, you would discover indeed that:
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus’;
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases:
No, not one! no, not one!
Jesus knows all about our struggles;
He will guide ’til the day is done:
There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!
No friend like Him is so high and holy,
No, not one! no, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,
No, not one! no, not one!
There’s not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one! no, not one!
No night so dark, but His love can cheer us,
No, not one! no, not one!
Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him?
No, not one! no, not one!
Or sinner find that He would not take him?
No, not one! no, not one!
Was e’er a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! no, not one!
Will He refuse us the bliss of heaven?
No, not one! no, not one!
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