22 March 2026 #SpesSunday
I once stood in Lazarus’ tomb while on a trip to the Holy Land. This pilgrimage, my first-and-only, left me with a bitter aftertaste for what others usually find as a spiritually satisfying adventure. Me? Not so much. There are a variety of reasons for that… a last-minute pastor switch, the non-Catholic tour company, our personally dismissive tour guide, unrest in Jerusalem, unseasonably warm weather… but mostly it was unmet expectations, which I believe is the root of all disappointment.
I expected a daily recitation of the rosary or chaplet on the bus. I thought my former pastor would pick-up-where-he-left-off with us. I imagined the guide would be a Catholic, not just “knowledgeable” of Catholicism. I hoped I would be able to have a voice on the bus’s microphone, putting my Old Testament studies from the seminary to good use. I figured we would stick to the itinerary and have no need to worry about accommodations. I couldn’t wait to taste authentic Israeli food and maybe even spend some time with a Jewish family hearing about their festivals and holy days. Alas. Alas. Alas.
Our readings today are full of unmet expectations and abject disappointment.
Ezekiel hopes that his people will not put so much spiritual weight on Leviticus and Deuteronomy, the laws and regulations of Judaism. He wants them to turn from their graven idols of obligation and consequence… and turn towards the spirit and life.
The psalmist wants his people to remember that forgiveness is necessary for interior growth. He wants them to trust that God knows what he is doing in the midst of their distress in exile. He wants their souls to await the dawn of redemption… in a future Messiah.
Paul simply pleads for his people to act like him… following the Holy Spirit wherever it leads, internally and externally.
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha expect Jesus to come immediately. Thomas wants martyrdom within the week. Lazarus thinks dead-is-dead… and the torment of his best friend Jesus not showing up to save the day in his final hours? Ouch.
Abject disappointment all the way around. For everyone.
That’s the way life is sometimes. We expect certain conditions to be met, believe that followers of Jesus will act in a dignified manner, and hope that events – or test results - go as planned. And when the things that we believed in do not come to pass, we are severely disappointed. We wonder where God is in those difficult moments. We question if the Holy Spirit is real. We waver over the belief that Jesus has it all under control and only wants what is Good for us. And then disappointment sets in and darkens the soul. Just as Satan hoped. Alas.
I know that last Sunday was Laetare Sunday, a day of joy. Perhaps we should re-name this rising-of-Lazarus week, Spes Sunday or in English, Hope Sunday. Because at the end of the day, under God’s perfect timing, Ezekiel’s prayer is answered at Pentecost. Sacramental Confession is the remedy for the psalmist. Our discipleship/apprenticeship under the Lord is the answered prayer of Paul. Ironically, Thomas receives the spear of martyrdom in India, mimicking the lance that pierced Jesus of which he needed proof. He must have felt soooo redeemed! And Mary, Martha, and Lazarus? They got far more than they hoped for too.
Which is how Our Lord works. #SpesSunday