Dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to thank the Lord for the two great gifts of the Word and of the Eucharist. Each of us attends this Mass, this event of grace with different moods. There are those who are experiencing feelings of gratitude but there are also those who carry around a load of suffering in body and spirit, there are those who have experienced the difficulty of relationships with others, there are those who have been betrayed, who feels oppressed, crushed. Even the current history sometimes does not help us: times of violence, warfare, injustices, climate change. Today the word of God comforts us and gives us hope.

Look at the first reading, taken from the chapter 37 of the book of Ezekiel which begins with the majestic vision of a valley full of dry bones that come back to life thanks to the Spirit of God. The same chapter ends with today’s reading which reveals a promise from God and a plan of peace for his people: the unity of the two kingdoms in which the Israelites were divided.

Think of the people of Israel in exile, far from their land, with the risk of losing their national and religious identity. What did they feel? Sadness, anguish, the most fragile of them had certainly lost hope. Think of God’s message: do not lose hope, trust me, you are like dry bones but I can revive you, I can free you, I can bring you back to your land. Do not lose faith, do not lose hope, trust me: there is a future of peace that lies ahead for you.

These are the three promises that God makes:

1) “I will multiply them” – God is the Lord of life

2) “My dwelling place shall be with them” – God does not remain far away “above the clouds”, but will be present and always accessible to his people. Man can turn directly to him, especially in the decisive moments of his life

3) “I will be their God and they shall be my people” – this is the formula of the covenant between God and his people. God is committed. And we are committed? Unfortunately, many prefer idols to God.

The promises made to Israel in exile are made to us today. Brother, sister, return to the Lord, renew your covenant with him, find hope again. Live well this time of preparation for Easter. You will be able to experience the resurrection of Christ in your life. You will be able to live your problems without being crushed by them, you will be able to overcome divisions, to recover sick relationships, to love and forgive because Christ will drag you with him in his resurrection.

Today’s Gospel also reminds us of faith in Christ Jesus and of the Christian hope that comes from believing in the mystery of his death and resurrection. The text we have read tells of the consequences of the seventh and last sign worked by Jesus, that of the resurrection of Lazarus. The sign of Lazarus will be the one that will mark Jesus’ death sentence. Giving life costs life. In order to give his life, Jesus loses his own life. This sign was just extraordinary, people were starting to believe in Jesus and this was not good for the religious authorities who saw their system collapsing. The activity of Jesus in favor of man, of every man, without distinction of belonging, sex, ethnicity, religion, his overcoming of the law of Moses threatens the power of priests, scribes, Pharisees. He must die!

They are afraid of him because the people believe in him, they follow him. The Romans might think that someone is organizing a sedition and they would kill everyone. The leader arrives, Caiaphas, the temporary high priest who, from the height of his authority, pontificates and says: “You know nothing at all”.

Unwittingly, expressing an opinion of political expediency or of national interest, he makes a wonderful prophecy: “… it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish”.

Why did Jesus die? The evangelist John, commenting on the unconscious “prophecy” of Caiaphas, is anticipating the purpose of the passion of Jesus. “Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad”. Jesus must die to give each of us the opportunity to be a child of God and to reunite with the Father. Jesus must die to give humanity, separated from God, the possibility of being reunited with God, becoming children of God as he is by nature.

What are the differences between Caiaphas and Jesus? Caiaphas maintains his power by taking the lives of others, while Jesus opens a path of new life by offering his life. For Caiaphas it is better for only one to die, the One who is destabilizing the system founded on the idea of ​​a God who demands, who orders, who gets angry and punishes. Jesus gives his life to show the face of a God who does not ask but offers, does not order but loves, does not get angry but forgives. And all this to restore dignity to wounded, excluded, sinful and poor men and women. And this is us!

I love God as Jesus presented and described him to me: this is why I want to continue to follow the Master, together with many brothers and sisters, on the roads of history and to invite those I will meet to share the journey with me.

Blessed are you, o Lord, for your wonderful message! Amen!