Pope Francis will be giving an Urbi et Orbi blessing on Friday March 27, 2020. It will give Catholics a chance to be granted a Plenary indulgence. The blessing will be streamed live at www.vaticannews.va on March 27 at 12PM noon Central Time in Texas.

In today’s Gospel, the tomb is right where God meets us.  Like many of our brothers and sisters across the world right now, Jesus received news that his good friend Lazarus had fallen ill.  By the time he is able to make the journey to pay him a visit, he has died.  Upon arriving in Bethany, Jesus is met separately by Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha who both have the same words for him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  In our current reality of this pandemic, we might be saying the same thing to God.  Our sadness and our anger is real.  The Psalmist puts words to how we might be feeling: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.”  (PS 130:1) ....