Wednesday Worship - 1st April
Each week we gather together to listen to the same Gospel that was read at Mass on Sunday.
5th Sunday of Lent
In Sunday's Gospel, St. John uses this reading to tell us about a time when Jesus actually did raise a good friend of his from the dead. Jesus had a friend named Lazarus, the brother of two other friends that you have probably heard of – Martha and Mary.
Pretend that you are one of the Apostles travelling with Jesus and experience what happened at Lazarus’ house.
You can read the Gospel to yourself or ask someone to read it to you.
A reading from the Gospel of John:
Even though Mary and Martha took good care of their brother, Lazarus, he kept getting sicker and sicker. So they sent someone to tell Jesus that his good friend Lazarus was very sick.
Jesus loved Lazarus and Martha and Mary. But Jesus didn’t hurry to Lazarus’ house to heal him. Instead, Jesus said that what was happening would show how great God is. So Jesus waited two days to go see Lazarus.
While Mary and Martha were waiting for Jesus to arrive, Lazarus got so sick that he died. When Jesus was getting near the town where Mary and Martha lived, Martha ran out to meet him. Martha said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Then Jesus said something amazing to Martha. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.’ ” Then he asked Martha if she believed him, and Martha said yes.
Martha said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” Martha hurried back to her house and told her sister that Jesus had come. When Mary heard that Jesus was near, she ran out to meet him. She fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw Mary and the other Jews who had come along with her were crying, he was deeply troubled. He asked, “Where have you laid him?”
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.Jesus cried as they led him to the tomb where Lazarus had been laid. When they got to the tomb, Jesus told them to move the stone away from the door of the tomb. “But, Lord,” Martha said, “by this time the tomb might smell bad because he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone, and Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed. Then he said in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!" Lazarus came out with his hands and feet wrapped in strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus said, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
(Gospel adapted from John:11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33-45)
Think quietly for a moment about the words that you have just heard.
Think or talk together about these questions:
- What happened in the Gospel?
- How do you think Mary, Martha and the other people there feel when they see Lazarus walking out of the tomb?
- Why do you think Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead?
Something to think about together:
Unfortunately sometimes, just like Lazarus in today’s gospel, people do get sick. When this happens they go to the hospital where doctors and nurses work hard to care for them and try to make them better.
We are hearing a lot about people being sick and the coronavirus in the news at the moment. It can be really worrying. Lots of things have had to change, and that can make us feel sad, especially if we miss our friends and family who we can’t meet up with at the moment.
Jesus knows how we feel. He felt very sad and cried for his friend Lazarus who he loved.
We are all doing what we can to keep ourselves and other people fit and well. We are very grateful for all the doctors, nurses and everyone who is working so hard to care for those who are in need.
We pray together:
We pray for world leaders: that the Holy Spirit may inspire 
them to do all that they can to help others and make sure all people have the things that they need.
Lord, in your mercy…
We pray for all people who are sick throughout the world: that they may get the care and help that they need and find strength in the love of those around them.
Lord, in your mercy…
We pray for our parish, family and friends: that Jesus may bring hope to all as we do what we can to help other members of our global family.
Lord, in your mercy…
Resources adapted from https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy