1. Wednesday Gospel Webinar
Portsmouth Diocese – Formation for Mission

2. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

3. Literal meaning
Where? John 11: From beyond the Jordan to Bethany, 2 miles from Jerusalem
When? After the ‘Good Shepherd’ narrative, and 2 attempts at stoning Jesus
What? Raising Lazarus from the dead
Who? Jesus, disciples, Martha, Mary, Jews, Lazarus
How? Emotions filled drama – the words of Jesus have power over death
Why? Jesus reveals himself as the Resurrection and the Life.

4. ACCOUNT BREAKDOWN
1-16: ‘The man you love is ill’ – the decision of Jesus at the cost of his life
17-27: Jesus meets Martha: profession of faith – divinity revealed
28-37: Jesus meets Mary: sorrow – humanity revealed
38-44: At the tomb: raising of Lazarus

5. Life and Death Can Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead?
Jesus ‘the Resurrection’
Going to Jerusalem: choice and consequences
Another Lazarus
Faith in Jesus: a matter of life and death

6. Finding God The Paschal Mystery
God comes to seek Adam himself and to give his life for him.
Jesus manifests himself as the Life.

7. Finding the human person
Lazarus: humanity suffering the consequence of sin and raised to life by Jesus Christ.
Compassion of Jesus for Lazarus, his friend.

8. Promise and Power of the resurrection at work in the Church.
Finding the Church
The words of Jesus spoken in and through the Church open God’s life for us.
The Church unbinds those who are dead in sin through the power of Jesus, in virtue of his death and resurrection.
Promise and Power of the resurrection at work in the Church.

10. Mary, Virgin and Mother,
you who, moved by the Holy Spirit,
welcomed the word of life
in the depths of your humble faith:
as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One,
help us to say our own “yes”
to the urgent call, as pressing as ever,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones,
pray for us.
Amen.

11. Acknowledgments
Mosaics artworks: © Fr Marko Rupnik and Centro Aletti
Lucca di Tomme, Raising of Lazarus – public domain:
With gratitude to the Wednesday Word