Brothers and Sisters,

Today, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. First Sunday, we met Jesus in the desert. The Second Sunday, we met Jesus on the mountain, transfigured in glory. The third Sunday, we met Jesus in a Samaritan town in conversation with a woman of ill repute, calling her to a change and transformation of her life. On the fourth Sunday, we met Jesus giving sight to a man who was born blind.

The fifth Sunday of Lent calls us to reflect on the mystery of the resurrection. All our readings today are about living a risen life, a new life, a changed and transformed life and life in the spirit. Ezekiel prophesied the dead bones into new life, the Psalmist sang of rising from the depth to the height, Saint Paul spoke of dying to the flesh and rising to live in the spirit and Jesus called Lazarus out of his tomb to live again a new life.

Ezekiel, the Prophet (first reading) reminds us that it is by the Spirit of God that we will be called forth to rise from the dead and live. He had a vision of a wide valley, filled with dead, dry, and lifeless bones. He felt called to prophesy to these bones and call on the wind and spirit to bring them to life. He prophesied and saw those lifeless limbs being drawn into wholeness and dancing across the valley – the dead bones came to life and began to walk again. Ezekiel saw that this vision was about his people. His people were like dead, dry and lifeless bones. These bones in the valley needed sinews, flesh, skin, breath, and spirit to bring them together into life again. Similarly, his people needed to renew their faith and be empowered by the spirit of God.  

This reminds me of the story of two brothers who were convicted of stealing sheep in a village. According to the local custom, they were branded on their forehead with the letters “S T” which stood for "Sheep Thief." One of them, unable to bear the stigma, ran away to a foreign place. But people would ask him about the letters on his brow, and what they meant. So, he moved from place to place and finally ended his life and was buried in a forgotten grave. The other brother repented of his misdeed and did not go away from his home. He said to himself, "I can't escape from the fact that I stole sheep. So, I will remain here, until I win back the respect of my neighbors and myself." As the years passed by, he established a reputation for respectability, honesty and integrity.

One day a stranger in this town saw this man (by now, old) with the letters “S T” branded on his forehead. He asked a native what they signified. After a little thought, the native said, "It all happened many years ago, and I have forgotten the details. I think the letters are an abbreviation of SAINT." The man whose forehead was branded with “S T” to signify “SHEEP-THIEF” had repented, renewed and transformed his life so much that other people, by now, experienced him as a “SAINT.” The “SHEEP THIEF” died and the “SAINT” rose. 

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the links below…..