19 - 5th Sunday of Lent

Readings and Gospel

Lectionary for this day - This has all the readings and Gospel

Ezekiel 37:12-14 - Vision of the Dry Bones

[Letter of St Paul to the] Romans 8:8-11 - The Flesh and the Spirit

After his warning in Romans 7 against the wrong route to fulfillment of the objective of holiness expressed in Romans 6:22, Paul points his addressees to the correct way. Through the redemptive work of Christ, Christians have been liberated from the terrible forces of sin and death. Holiness was impossible so long as the flesh (or our “old self”), that is, self-interested hostility toward God (Romans 8:7), frustrated the divine objectives expressed in the law. What is worse, sin used the law to break forth into all manner of lawlessness (Romans 8:8). All this is now changed. At the cross God broke the power of sin and pronounced sentence on it (Romans 8:3). Christians still retain the flesh, but it is alien to their new being, which is life in the spirit, namely the new self, governed by the holy Spirit. Under the direction of the holy Spirit Christians are able to fulfill the divine will that formerly found expression in the law (Romans 8:4). The same Spirit who enlivens Christians for holiness will also resurrect their bodies at the last day (Romabs 8:11). Christian life is therefore the experience of a constant challenge to put to death the evil deeds of the body through life of the spirit (Romans 8:13). (Source: USCCB)

John 11:1-45 - The Raising of Lazarus

Ezekiel

A prophet whose name means "God is strong" or "God strengthens".
At around 587 B.C, he revealed prophecies regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, and the restoration to the land of Israel.

Son of Man

Whole house of Israel

Paul

A Jew and a pharisee. He was educated by Gamaliel, a notable teacher of Jewish law.
A Roman citizen.
He first persecuted Christians. After Jesus appeared to him, he became a Christian and was responsible for the conversion of many Gentiles. More information.

Romans

those who are in the flesh

"The flesh" refers to human nature separated from God, functioning apart from Him and acting in opposition to Him. It is the sum of man's tendencies and desires which runs contrary to God's law.
Holiness is impossible so long as the flesh (or our “old self”), that is, self-interested hostility toward God (Romans 8:7), frustrated the divine objectives expressed in the law.

in the spirit

To yield to the Holy Spirit and decide to let Jesus be the Lord of every area of our life.

John

Means "Yahweh has been Gracious"
Brother of James (another apostle)
Son of Zebedee
He was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus.
- - 12 Apostles - the first 12 people that Jesus called to follow Him.

Lazarus

Bethany

Judea

Didymus

Resurrection

Messiah

Messiah or messias (Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ, romanized: māšīyaḥ; Greek: μεσσίας, messías; Arabic: مسيح, masîḥ; lit. 'the anointed one') is a saviour or liberator of a group of people.

Here is a video explaining this Gospel reading.