Open Your Graves: God’s Call to Resurrection – Mar 22 – Homily – Fr Bernard

 

Fr. Bernard M. Salter gives the homily on the Fifth Sunday of Lent (Mar 22, 2026), unveiling the spiritual truth of death and life from Ezekiel, St. Paul, and the raising of Lazarus, showing how mortal sin causes spiritual death—loss of divine life in the soul—while confession restores it like Christ's call, "Lazarus, come out!" With urgency for billions of spiritually dead souls, Father calls for zeal through prayer, penance, the cross, and the Blessed Mother's mediation to foster perseverance in grace and salvation.

Fr. Bernard highlights the readings' theme of spiritual death and life: Ezekiel 37 prophesies God opening graves, putting His Spirit in us for life, meaning resurrection from spiritual death via mortal sin. Redemption exceeds forgiveness; Christ's sacrifice transmits divine life, absent pre-baptism, infused post-baptism, adopting us as children. Unbelievers or unfaithful live in spiritual death, lacking God's indwelling. Divine life dynamically transforms, calling the baptized to perfection, balancing wretchedness with God's perfection. St. Paul (Romans 8) urges the risen-with-Christ to walk by the Spirit, not the flesh, i.e., worldly pleasures that end in time, versus a Spirit-oriented life glorifying God eternally. Lazarus' resurrection reflects confession: mortal sin expels God, like tomb-death; absolution revives, but vices bind. Jesus calls personally, knowing each. Amid global spiritual death, zeal demands prayer, penance for sinners (habitual mortal sinners), invoking Mary, Mediatrix of all graces.

CCC 1257 – Baptism necessary salvation – https://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1257.htm
CCC 1265 – Baptism divine life effects – https://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1265.htm
CCC 1855 – Mortal sin gravity defined – https://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1855.htm
CCC 1996-2005 – Sanctifying grace divine – https://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a2.htm#IV

Ave Maria!

Mass: Sunday 5th Week of Lent (short) - Sunday
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032226.cfm
1st: Ezekiel 37:12-14
Resp: Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
2nd: Romans 8:8-11
Gsp: John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33-45

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1837

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yYyvJN89aN0